Legislator Schedules Hearing on Soda-Obesity Link

California Senate's Select Committee on Obesity and Diabetes chairman Sen. Alex Padilla plans to hold hearings probably in November regarding the link between soda consumption and obesity.

This coincides with the study conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy that shows that almost two-thirds of children aged 12 to 17 consume at least one sugar-sweetened beverage on a daily basis. Padilla, who also led a campaign that requires restaurant and fast food chains to disclose calorie information in their menu, said that people should be educated about the health effects of too much soda. The senator further said that he even considers reducing soda consumption among children. In addition with the senator's pronouncement, the American Heart Association stated last month that the public must cut down their soft drink consumption in order to prevent obesity that can eventually result to heart disease and type 2 diabetes to name a few. According to experts, obesity in the United States is a growing concern and it has turned into a public health crisis. Reuters reports.