According to a new survey which had been conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American high school students are drinking far less soda than they have in previous years, however, if you add energy drinks and sports drinks back, the numbers are not quite as hopeful. That nationwide survey polled over 11000 high school students about their beverage choices and frequencies. The study’s author revealed that one in four of the students polled drank soda every day. The students also reported drinking water, juices and milk during the typical day.

The CDC reports that this number has dropped five percentage points from 2009 to 2010, with hopes that the total, overall consumption of sodas and other sugar laden beverages declining. However, there was question about the validity of the survey because the students may have tried to paint themselves in a more positive light.

In addition to sodas, the survey reported that 16% of the students regularly drank sports drinks and energy drinks while 17% of them drank lemonade, sweet teas and flavored milk products. The survey also revealed that African American students were slightly more likely to drink these high calorie beverages than their peers.

Sugary drinks, particularly sodas and the energy drinks are considered to be the cornerstone in the explosion of childhood obesity. A separate study in Massachusetts showed that for every single sugared drink that a child drinks each day, his obesity risk went up by 60%. To combat this problem, soda and juice were eliminated from most American schools.

Now, add flavored milks to that list- thanks in part to efforts by Jamie Oliver, a celebrity chef from the UK. After setting out to improve the health and diets of American school children, Oliver tackled what was being served in typical school lunches. The Los Angeles Unified School Districts have now banned strawberry and chocolate milk, replacing it with soy and Lactaid options. Next up on the chopping block are chicken nuggets and corn dogs.

Back to the average soda- which has between 240-270 calories per twenty ounce bottle, the CDC cautioned that the numbers, while, encouraging may have been greatly under reported. What is not being under reported is the rate of childhood obesity which is running rampant in the country. Jamie Oliver and his reality show may have made some good progress, but it was cancelled in its second season with two shows left remaining un-aired.

Oliver took on the school board after he was told he could not film in the LA area schools any longer. Before being stopped, his stunts had included filling a school bus with sand to show the amount of sugar that the average child consumes from flavored milk alone. He also worked with teens, showing them how calories worked. Each teen was able to choose a piece of fruit or a candy bar and then told to walk the number of laps around the track that it would take to burn off those calories.