It appears more teens are pouring a glass of water instead of popping a can of soda. A survey from the Centers for Disease Control shows only 1 in 4 teens say they drink pop every day.

During the late nineties and into the new millennium, surveys showed more than 75 percent of teenagers drinking at least one can of soda a day. Jamie Crispin, a sophomore at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School, says she prefers other beverages over high calorie sodas.

“It’s not healthy for you every day. I try doing water or juice or tea,” Crispin said. Amy Bisenius, a mother of two teenagers, says getting teens to cut back on sugary drinks is key in the battle against childhood obesity.

“The activities that go along with just sitting and drinking soda…the lack of activity,” Bisenius said. “I think parents need to moderate that.” The CDC study still shows a high number of young adults are choosing sugary sports drinks over milk and water. That’s why grandmother Phyllis Story says she’s trying to lead by example and get her kids hooked on water at a young age.

“I never drink soda,” Story said. “The kids never ask for pop, so that’s a good thing.” The CDC’s figures, released Thursday, are based on a survey conducted last year involving 11,000 high school students.

By Jillian Petrus, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids