Drinking Less Soda Can Reduce Cost of Health Insurance Plans

Pre-existing conditions are one common factor that makes people pay more for their health insurance plans. With that in mind, getting physically fit can pay off from both a health and a financial standpoint.

This week, researchers at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research unveiled a study which found that adults who drink one or more soda per day per day are 27 percent more likely to become overweight than those who do not drink sodas. The study was based on more than 40,000 interviews and the results were said to be consistent regardless of factors like income or ethnicity.

"We drink soda like water. But unlike water, soda serves up a whopping 17 teaspoons of sugar in every 20-ounce serving," said Dr. Harold Goldstein of UCLA.

The study also found that Americans consume 278 more calories per day than they did 30 years ago, and that soda accounts for as much as 43 percent of these new calories.

From a healthcare perspective, excessive soda consumption can undermine one's health in general while also contributing to conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Both of these health problems are usually considered pre-existing conditions that significantly increase the cost of health insurance plans.

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