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

Consumption of carbonated soft drinks and risks obesity

Obesity risk has been negatively related to consumption of fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates, while a positively relationship has been observed with dietary fat, added sugar and carbonated soft drinks.

In 2007, Varitanian, Schwartz and Brownell explored the linkage between carbonated soft drinks consumption and the effects on health. There were clear indications of carbonated soft drinks consumption associated with increased energy intake and body weight.

It was indicated by simply decreasing the consumption of these beverages and consuming low-calories beverages as an alternative could prevent and treat obesity.

Several studies from the UK and elsewhere relate carbonated soft drinks consumption with obesity and reduced carbonated soft drinks consumption with improved weight status. Most commercial soft drinks contain large amount of sugar and thus energy.

Each 12-ounce serving of carbonated soft drink provides about 150 kcal, all from sugars, and contains no other nutrients of significance.

What led to an increase in soft drink consumption? Certainly the spending for advertising soft drinks has been on the rise. Another possible source of the increase in soft drink consumption is the increase in food consumed away from home.

According to the National Soft Drink Association, soft drink consumption accounts for approximately 7 percent of the energy in human diet, with average American drinking soda at an annual rate of about 56 gallons per person; that is nearly six hundred 12-0unce cans of soda per person per year. The highest consumption is in the males between the ages of 12 - 29; they average 1/2 gallon a day or 160 gallons a year.
Consumption of carbonated soft drinks and risks obesity