Week 5

25,000 US Deaths Linked to Sugary Drinks

abc News
By Katie Moisse
March 20, 2013
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/03/19/25000-us-deaths-linked-to-sugary-drinks/

Summary:

In a study that's sure to shake up the soda ban debate, Harvard researchers have linked the sugary drinks to 180,000 deaths a year worldwide, 25,000 in the United States alone. The study comes one week after a judge blocked New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on super-sized sodas, and one day after Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill preventing municipalities from setting limits on soda and salt content.

Opinion:

I think it is such a serious problem in the United States that can harm people's health. I was very shocked that the sugary drinks is extremely harmful to our health. However, I don't think it is the role of government to micro-regulate citizens' dietary decisions. The responsibility for one's personal health depends on individual choices about a proper diet and appropriate exercise. The government has no reason to worry about what people eat or drink. They need to focus more on important things that will actually fix the country's problems. Due to the regulation, health care and insurance costs might increase. As we learned this week in economics class, government regulation can affect supply. I hope this study would prevent people from drinking sugary drinks.