The influence of obesity or obesity, sweet is part of the problem

The U.S. soft drink industry says it has dramatically reduced the number of high-calorie soft drinks sold in U.S. schools as part of a drive to overcome obesity.

American Beverage Association says sending full-calorie drinks to school were down 95%.
Nearly one in three children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese and health experts say sweet drinks are part of the problem.

Some U.S. states and cities are considering taxing soft drinks. Reduction of sweet soft drinks in schools are part of the agreement between big companies and the Alliance for Healthy Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation.

Under the voluntary guidelines, in place since 2006, full-calorie soft drinks removed from school canteens and vending machines. Soft drinks, including low-fat milk, diet soda, juice, water and tea taste promoted in their place.
Independent consulting firm Research Keybridge see what changes have brought about the guidelines and found that:

* The total beverage calories sent to the schools between the first half of the 2004-05 school year and the first half of the 2009-10 school year has been reduced 88%
* There has been a dramatic shift towards lower calories and higher nutritional drinks in schools, including water, 100% juice, and some are controlled sports drinks
* Volume delivery of full-calorie beverages 95% lower in the first half of the 2009-10 school year compared with the first half of the 2004-05 school year.

Soft drink industry that has become the main target of critics who say the sweet drinks that they sell is a key factor in obesity rates in the United States.
State of California and city of Philadelphia has introduced tax legislation soft drinks, while both New York Governor David Paterson and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg also encouraged, such as taxes.

"In these tough economic times, easy to repair our problem is difficult to get," Mr. Bloomberg said at the weekend. "But the tax is to improve the soda just makes sense, it would cut health care costs rise."
Susan Neely American Beverage Association, which includes major companies such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo and Dr Pepper Snapple Group, said such taxes would not solve "complex problems such as obesity".