Sugar-Filled Beverages Getting More Attention in Health Debate

12/21/2009

Public health advocates have long warned consumers that a good way to cut back on their caloric intake and sugar is to greatly reduce the number of sweetened beverages they consume. The message comes at a time of growing scrutiny on the long-term cost health insurers and others face from chronic obesity-related conditions like diabetes.

However, a group that represents the beverage industry is now crying foul over a recent public service advertisement in New York City that showed a man drinking a glass of fat as part of an effort to get people to rethink the products they consume.

A report by WCBS-TV in New York said the city's public health department wants to remind people with the graphic image that simply drinking one sweetened beverage a day, such as soda, can result in a person putting on 10 additional pounds after a year.

Such products have also been linked to the surge in diabetes among children in recent years, although the beverage industry maintains it offers more alternatives to high-sugar drinks than ever.

"There is no miracle diet for weight loss. Calories matter when it comes to losing weight. Balancing calories consumed with calories burned, regardless of the source, is the only generally proven approach to maintaining a healthy diet. Further, the beverage industry provides an array of beverages with a wide range of calories, including zero calories," declared the American Beverage Association in response to the advertisement.

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