Drink-ing
Series of portraits of residents of Mexico City, posing at home with their annual soda consumption.
Mexico is the world’s biggest consumer and producer of sodas. The annual average of sodas consumption per inhabitant is 163L. With this daily amount of sodas, a child will have 80% risk of becoming obese in adulthood. Regular soda consumption has been linked with increased risk of overweight and obesity, which are, in turn, associated with higher risk of a heart disease, diabetes and many other serious health issues.
Consuming that much sugar at one time actually affects the brain. According to Serge Ahmed, CNRS research director at Bordeaux, sugar is similar to cocaine in that it produces a rush of dopamine and serotonin when consumed. Both of these chemicals make you feel good, albeit temporarily. You then become addicted to that feeling, so every time you eat it you want to eat more. Addiction to food and sugar is correlated with functional alterations in the brain circuits involved in reward learning, motivation and impulse control. These alterations are similar to those seen in drug addiction, including cocaine.
Presented by a group of NGOs, the Mexican government voted in 2014 a tax that increases the price of soft drinks by 10% in order to reduce sodas consumption, and thus fight obesity.
Mexico City, Mexico - 2020