It's Not Our Fault They Like Sugar!!
"If you want to eat food that makes you obese, that's your right," but you should help pay the societal costs.“
This is a quote from an article in USA Today,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-08-16-fat-tax_N.htm
discussing a tax on soda companies. Democrat Rep. Bill Pascrell states, "There's a good argument that can be made" for taxing the causes of chronic, costly illnesses.”
Of course there is opposition. But how do you mount a convincing argument against these facts, in the article, taken from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
Sugary beverages contribute an average of 8% to 9% of total calories for children and adults.
People in the USA consume about 16% of their daily calories from sugars that are added to all foods.
About 47% of those sugars are from sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages such as juice drinks and iced tea.
A 12-ounce soda has about 150 calories and 40-50 grams of sugars in high-fructose corn syrup, equal to 10 teaspoons of sugar.
Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health reviewed 30 studies on sugary beverages and concluded:
• Many studies show that heavy adults and children are more likely to drink sugary beverages than people who maintain a healthy weight.
• Several show that an increased intake in sugar-sweetened drinks results in greater weight gain over time and greater risk of obesity.
• A one-year intervention trial found that reducing the intake of soft drinks in school-age children reduced the incidence of excess weight and obesity.
Those in the know, those who follow a healthy lifestyle, already know the dangers, the cause and effect of poor eating habits.
When do you decide to join the rest of us?
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