Physicians Can Impact Patient Health

Sugar-sweetened beverages account for nearly half the sugar Americans consume, at a time when over one-third of the population is obese and over two-thirds are considered overweight. To help reduce the health risks associated with obesity, physicians should consider targeting the one culprit most responsible for adding non-nutritional calories to the diet: sugar-sweetened soda. By helping patients to reduce or eliminate soda consumption, physicians can make a tremendous contribution to addressing the obesity crisis in the United States. The author offers suggestions for helping physicians to provide concrete steps their patients can use to decrease soda in their diets.