Sugary soft drinks associated with weight gain

Sugary soft drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the United States; cakes, cookies, pies and other baked goods comes next, sweetened fruit drinks and punches follow closely behind.

In 2008, 14.4 billion gallons of carbonated soft drink were sold in the United States, which is the equivalent to approximately 507 cans for every man, woman and child.

Soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup such as colas an fruit drinks are the primary source of sugar in the typical Americans diet.

A growing body of literature suggests that the regular use of sugary drinks is associated with weight gain and obesity. Normally when soft drink consumption is increased people do not compensate for the increased calorie intake (i.e do not reduce their remaining diet).

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 examined the association between consumption of sugar –sweetened beverages and weight change. It involved 51,603 women and concluded that sugar sweetened beverages is associated with a great magnitude of weight gain.

For people consuming 2,200 calories per day, the USDA Food Guide suggest about 9 teaspoon of sugar in the context of a nutrient-dense diet.
Sugary soft drinks associated with weight gain