New York City is plastering subways with graphic ads depicting human fat pouring out of soda bottles into serving glasses. In a provocative question, the ad asks “Are you pouring on the pounds?”
“Sugary drinks shouldn’t be a part of our everyday diet,” said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley. “Drinking beverages loaded with sugars increases the risk of obesity and associated problems, particularly diabetes but also heart disease, stroke, arthritis and cancer.”
What you need to know:
This is part of a campaign to get people to make more nutritious choices, after an ill-fated attempt at a soda tax by NY state earlier this year.
Americans are consuming 300 calories more today than we did a generation ago. Many of those come in liquid candy form, aka soda, juice drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and vitamin waters.
As an example, a 12 oz can of soda pop contains 8 teaspoons of sugar. That’s 8 teaspoons our bodies do not need. As rates of obesity in adults and children have soared, governments at the state and local level are trying to help in reversing the trend.
As expected the beverage industry is furious and denounced the ad, saying it was “more focused on the sensational rather than the substance” and would “do more harm than good.”
We agree, this campaign will do more harm than good to the beverage makers’ bottom line. But just possibly they’ll do some good to our bottoms.
What to do at the supermarket:
Here’s a radical idea – try skipping the beverage aisle altogether. A family of 4 can save over $500 a year by switching to tap water. Not to mention all the health benefits.
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