Carbonated drinks are a big part of high school students’ diet. Students should decrease their soda intake because of the negative health effects.

Research in the past has emphasized the devastating effect of soda intake on the health, and now researchers have created a link between soda intake and heart failure.

In a study published in a British medical journal supported by the British Soft Drink Association, researchers followed the food habits of 42,000 Swedish men over 12 years and found that men who drank at least two sweetened beverages a day were at a 23 percent higher risk of heart failure.

Dr. Susanna Larsson of the Stockholm Karolinska Institute told CNN, “People who regularly consume sweetened beverages should consider limiting their consumption to reduce their risk of heart failure.”

The number of people living with heart failure is on the rise around the globe and a large intake of sodas during teenage years may be a contributing factor.

According to the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), less than 50 percent of patients are alive five years after their initial diagnosis and less than 25 percent are alive at ten years.

An American Beverage Association spokesperson told CNN that the soda industry is working toward reducing beverage calories in the American diet by 20 percent per person within 10 years.

Although the taste of soda can addicting and seem irresistible, students need to find a way to decrease the amount of soda in their diet.

SHS should take a significant step in eliminating sodas from their menu.