Some may tout that there is a silver bullet to obesity, but science shows us there is not. A paper recently published in the journal Obesity found that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption has been consistently declining, while obesity rates keep going up.

"This is not a simple problem with a simple solution. Consumption of sugary drinks has been declining since the turn of the century," according to an article by ConscienHealth in reaction to the study. If obesity rates have increased while at the same time consumption of beverages with sugar has declined, how could these beverages be driving obesity rates? The answer is they are not because obesity and obesity-related diseases are complex challenges driven by many factors. Instead of focusing on one part of the diet, science tells us obesity must be addressed with a holistic approach that focuses on each individual's unique challenges.

Meanwhile, public health activists and lawmakers claim that takes on common grocery items like beverages will be the simple solution to obesity, when it's been shown that you just can't tax our way to better health. "We need real science asking hard questions and testing presumptions. Endless fights about soda taxes won't do the trick." says the article.

America's beverage companies know we must play a role in improving public health and we are doing our part to help people manage their calorie and sugar intake from beverages by offering a variety of choices and portion sizes so that they can choose the beverage that best fits their lifestyle. Comprehensive efforts like these are the better way to meaningfully address complex health challenges like obesity.