Health Groups Call for Surgeon General Report on Soda

About 100 health, medical and consumer groups are calling on the U.S. surgeon general to issue a report on the health effects of soda and sugary drinks, reports UPI.  The groups include the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the Consumer Federation of America, the National Hispanic Medical Association, the Prevention Institute, the Trust for America’s Health and Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. The effort was organized by The Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington.  “Soda and other sugary drinks are the only food or beverage that has been directly linked to obesity, a major contributor to coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and a cause of psychosocial problems,” the groups wrote.  “Yet, each year, the average American drinks about 40 gallons of sugary drinks, all with little, if any, nutritional benefit.”