Soft drinks and obesity

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Nutrition, Health & Wellness

Soft drinks and obesity The prevalence of obesity in United States has doubled during the period 1980 to 2005. During the same period soft drink consumption also has doubled.
Many studies both in adults and children have confirmed that drinking of sugar-sweetened soft drinks had increased the body weight and BMI (body mass index). In another study on 50,000 female nurses conducted for 8 years a gain of 8 kg in weight was recorded in women who had more than one soft drinks a day.

In another experiment two batches of school children were given sugar-sweetened drinks or sugar substitute added drinks. In children taking sugar-sweetened beverages weight gain and obesity were recorded. In another experiment soft drinks giving 450 calorie/day were given to one group and jelly beans with nutritional value of 450 calorie/day were given to another group.

The beverage group gained weight whereas the jelly bean group did not gain weight. So it was inferred that jelly beans lowered the calorie intake in subsequent meals by providing satiety. However these drinks did not provide any satiation and the subsequently higher calorie meals were taken by the subjects leading to their weight gain and obesity.
Obesity - A "super obese" male
This person with a height of 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) had a BMI of 47 kg/m₂ and weighted 146 kg (322 lb). Frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks can lead to obesity related diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and metabolic syndromes.