America has an obesity problem. And it seems the rest of the developed world is following suit. A question that many people wonder is whether soda consumption increases the likelihood of weight gain. The short answer is YES.
Soft drink consumption has increased globally from 9.5 gallons per person per year in 1997 to 11.4 gallons per person per year in 2010. Simply a 1% rise in simoft drink consumption contributes to an additional 4.8% overweight adults, 2.3% obese adults, and 0.3% adults with diabetes.1 If this trend of increased consumption of caloric beverages continues, it is clear that these rates will rise drastically.
There is an alarming statistic. Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) in the United States is increasing.2,3 About half of mothers with children age 2 reported that their children drank SSB’s at least one day per week. Moreover, there is a much higher likelihood that children who drink the highest amount of SSB come from low-income families. These families are the same families that likely have limited access to quality healthcare.
So what does this mean for society in general? Well, SSB consumption is increasing and the obesity epidemic is worsening. Insulin resistance is becoming commonplace. Based on the studies outlined above, we can conclude that soda consumption is certainly contributing to this problem. In fact, as mentioned earlier, soda consumption predicts weight gain.
Therefore, if you don’t want to gain weight, don’t drink soda!
- Basu S, et al. Relationship of Soft Drink Consumption to Global Overweight, Obesity, and Diabetes: a Cross-National Analysis of 75 Countries. American Journal of Public Health. Nov 2013; Vol 103, No. 11: pp. 2071-2077.