Sugar-sweetened soft drinks contribute 7.1% of total energy intake and
represent the largest single food source of calories in the US diet.1 Coincidentally or not, the rise of obesity and type
2 diabetes in the United States parallels the increase in sugar-sweetened
soft drink consumption.2 Several studies have
found an association between sugar-sweetened beverages and incidence of obesity
in children.3,4 In one study,
the odds ratio of becoming obese increased 1.6 times for each additional sugar-sweetened
drink consumed every day.3 Increased diet soda
consumption was negatively associated with childhood obesity.