Do Calorically Sweetened Soft Drinks Contribute to Obesity and Metabolic Disease?

In Brief Soft drinks with caloric sweeteners have been shown to be associated with increased energy intakes, weight gain, and development of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It seems that liquid calories may not be compensated for by reductions in energy from foods. Although more research is needed to explore if restriction of soft drinks limits weight gain and metabolic disease, some public health measures to decrease consumption of caloric soft drinks, especially by children, have already been initiated A view from Australia on calorically sweetened soft drinks