We tried. Some states attempted to ban sales of large sodas. Some cities increased taxes on sodas. However, soda and sweetened beverages are still globally ubiquitous and desired, especially among children. A BMJ study looked at trends in over 180 countries and found that, between 1990 and 2018, intake by 3 to 19 year olds of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) increased 26%. Perhaps unsurprisingly, rates of obesity in young people also increased during that time period. Of the countries examined, the United States had the highest increase: 43%. The increase seen in adult consumption of SSBs was half that of younger people.

SSBs = any liquids sweetened with added sugars: soda, water, coffee, tea, and fruit, energy, and sports drinks

Researchers state, “obesity in childhood tends to persist into adulthood, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality.” Other costs of obesity cannot be overlooked: “the incremental economic costs associated with overweight and obesity globally…[are] projected to increase…to $18tn by 2060, exceeding 3% of the world’s gross domestic product.”

The study concluded by saying, “Policies and approaches at both a national level and a more targeted level are needed to reduce intakes of SSBs among young people worldwide, highlighting the larger intakes across all education levels in urban and rural areas in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the growing problem of SSBs for public health in sub-Saharan Africa.”