The Calories in Soda Contribute to Obesity

Obesity

Calories from liquids -- like soft drinks -- don't seem to register as food in the same way that solid candy, like jelly beans, do. That means consuming soft drinks with your meal instead of water or another calorie-free beverage could really make a difference to your weight and waistline. "Beverages are a huge contributor to obesity," researcher Richard Mattes, told CSPI's Nutrition Action Healthletter. "They're major players that often get overlooked."
Source: International Journal of Obesity, June 2000, 24(6):794-800; Nutrition Action Healthletter, November 2000.

"We are becoming a more overweight population, we are less active and we are also getting somewhat older. If you put all those factors together, we are seeing a chronic disease epidemic occurring." Dr. Frank Vinicor, Director of the Diabetes Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Source: "Diabetes Reaches Record Levels," AP, 10/31/97.

61 percent of all Americans are considered overweight by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and over a quarter are classified as obese or grossly overweight.
Source: AP, 12/15/00.

The chances of children becoming obese increased with each additional glass of sugar-sweetened drink that they consumed per day.
Source: The Lancet. February 17, 2001, 505.

According to National Center for Health Statistics. The percentage of children who are overweight has tripled since 1970, with the larger increase in children aged 6-11.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, "More American Children and Teens are Overweight," March 12, 2001.

Diabetes, a disease correlated with inactivity and being overweight, has increased sixfold in the United States since 1958. Worldwide, the number of people with diabetes is expected to double by 2025. Source: "Diabetes Reaches Record Levels," AP, 10/31/97.