Young New Yorkers sipping smarter than two years ago: 48% of locals drink sugary beverages each day

Young New Yorkers are going on a diet.

Fewer than half of city residents between 18 and 24 drink a soda, sweet tea or other sugar-filled beverage each day - down 10 points in two years, to 48%.

That's part of a broad decline in the number of people who told a city Health Department survey they have a nondiet drink every day.

"Soda has fueled the obesity epidemic," said Health Commissioner Thomas Farley. "We still have a long way to go to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, but it's encouraging to see that New Yorkers are starting to move away from these products."

In all age groups, men are more likely than women to drink a nondiet beverage every day, the survey shows, and people who live in poor neighborhoods do it more than in wealthier ones.

The survey shows differences among the boroughs and races. While 40% of all Bronx residents have a sugary drink each day, only 24% of Manhattan residents do, and 45% of blacks do compared with 22% for whites.

nydailynews.com