OK, America, now you’ve gone and done it. You have made the food police angry and now they are ready to strike back.

It seems we love our beverages, in particular the soda. Scientists are now calling for a fat tax and a label warning. They’re comparing soda and obesity to tobacco and lung cancer. Many find that laughable, but many are not laughing. The scientists really do want to put a higher tax on soda and even restrict where it is sold, too! And they really would like a surgeon general warning on every soda item sold.

Those making the case are some of the nation’s top obesity researchers at prestigious institutions like Harvard and Yale. Yes, folks, this is serious.

Where is the proof that soda causes obesity? Well, numerous studies link sugary soft drink consumption with weight gain and obesity. Take for instance that there was a 60% increase in soft drink consumption among adults from 1977 to 1997. And it doubled for kids in that same time period. Take that along with the prevalence of obesity doubling at that same time. Many scientists believe these parallel trends are the basis for proving cause and effect.

Need more proof? The calories from sugary sodas are fundamentally different in the body than those from real food. Case in point: soda’s main sweetener—high fructose corn syrup—can increase fats in the blood called triglycerides, which raise the risk of heart problems, diabetes, and other maladies.

Also, high fructose corn syrup doesn’t spur production of insulin to make the body process calories, nor does it spur leptin, a substance that tamps down appetite, as other carbohydrates do.

Soda also affects the intake of other foods, like milk, because the individual had a soda instead. Scientists contend that we start to crave the sugar in soda and forego the healthy alternatives.

This also leads to an unhealthy lifestyle of fast food for meals. In a study of 9,500 Americans from 1999-2002, it was found that those who drank healthier beverages—water, lo-fat milk, unsweetened tea or coffee—were more likely to eat vegetables and less likely to eat fast food. Now, didn’t your mom ever tell you to "eat your vegetables" so you’ll grow up big and strong?

This does not apply to fast food.

Many, many scientific studies link sugary drinks and weight gain. Many of my clients confessed to drinking 3 to 6 sodas a day—not diet, either—when they first started training with me. I told them to cut out soda and they would start losing weight, and indeed they did. Just think what all that sugar is doing to the enamel on their teeth. Oh my, a dentist’s dream! That sticky sugary soda causes tooth decay—especially in younger children. A lifetime of drinking soda may result in having no teeth left in your mouth as you advance in years. That alone might be a good reason to walk away from sugary drinks, but it seems soda has become part of daily life. Just look around—it’s everywhere! We are inundated everyday with commercials on TV, radio, in newspapers, and grocery stores. Even schools have soda machines. Breakfast at school does not start with a coke and a bag of chips. Nasty!

So, what do you think? You’ve got an item that has been proven to not be good for you, causes you to be fat, diabetic, have heart disease, and rot your teeth. And nutrition wise? Zilch! Are you willing to cut back or even cut out soda consumption to gain years to your life? Some claim they are addicted to soda—the sugar and caffeine in cola can be addictive. Many people start their day off with a cola drink instead of coffee. It gives them that morning "kick", they say. Don’t they realize that the caffeine plus those nine tablespoons of sugar in that 12 ounce can make it the most nutritionally bankrupt food out there? So, what’s it gonna take? Do you think there should be a health warning on all sugary sweet beverages that says "consumption of this item can lead to diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay, and obesity"? Are you willing to pay an extra tax on these items, like you do for cigarettes? Are you willing to cut back or even cut out soda? And parents, don’t you know that you are teaching your kids bad eating habits and a challenged life ahead by giving your kids soda? These can be tough questions to answer.

Why, even I have a soda once a week—especially when I work out. Every now and then I need a boost from the caffeine and it really works on me. Nick and I drink lots of water, lo fat milk, and occasionally orange, grape, and apple juice. I love cranberry juice. I worked for Ocean Spray for 15 years—no wonder! But we are very aware of what we put into our mouths and our bodies. And proper nutrition is our number one priority. Shouldn’t it be yours, too?