The average side soda sold today (2009) compared to those sold in the 1950s is 2.5 times larger—16 ounces versus 6.5 ounces—according to a a report from researchers from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.

Two-thirds (66%) of all high fructose corn syrup consumed in the United States is through beverages according to a paper by obesity researcher George Bray and others.

Between 1977-78 and 1999-2001, “Overall, energy intake from [milk] was reduced by 38%,” according to a paper by researcher at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Between 1977-78 and 1999-2001, “Overall, energy intake from sweetened beverages increased 135% [2.4-fold],” according to a paper by researcher at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Between 1977-78 and 1999-2001, “Overall, energy intake from sweetened beverages [including a 38% reduction in calories from milk resulted in]... a 278 total calorie increase,” according to a paper by researcher at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Eliminating one sugar-sweetened drink per day caused a weight loss of 1.1 pounds after six months, and 1.4 pounds after a year-and-a-half according to a new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.

“On a typical weekday, 55% to 70% of all sugar-sweetened beverage calories were consumed in the home environment, and 7% to 15% occurred in schools according to a paper by researchers from Columbia University in New York, USA.

“Schools are a limited source for sugar-sweetened beverages, suggesting that initiatives to restrict sugar-sweetened beverage sales in schools may have an only marginal impact on overall consumption,” the authors of the paper concluded.

The average number of calories consumed in the U.S. per capita from sugar-sweetened beverages and 100 percent fruit juice increased from 242 calories per day in 1988-1994 to 270 calories per day in 1999-2004 according to a paper by researchers from Columbia University in New York, USA.

In 1999-2004, U.S. children 2- to 5-years-old consumed an average of 176 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 100 percent fruit juice according to a paper by researchers from Columbia University in New York, USA.

In 1999-2004, U.S. children 6- to 11-years-old consumed an average of 229 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 100 percent fruit juice according to a paper by researchers from Columbia University in New York, USA.

In 1999-2004, U.S. children 12- to 19-years-old consumed an average of 356 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 100 percent fruit juice according to a paper by researchers from Columbia University in New York, USA.

“Children and adolescents today derive 10% to 15% of total calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 100% fruit juice,” the authors of the paper concluded.

The average consumption of added sugars in the U.S. increased 22 percent from the early 1980’s to 2000 according to a report titled F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2008 from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Overweight men and women fed a high-sucrose diet, mostly as sugary soft drinks, containing an average of 28 percent of their calories as sucrose (152 grams or 608 calories) gained 3.5 pounds in two-and-a-half months compared to weight loss of 2.2 pounds for those given the artificial sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet) according to a study by Arnie Astrup and colleagues from The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Frederiksberg, Denmark.

The high-sucrose group increased their calorie intake by an average of 382 calories by the end of the study.

Women who replaced all sweetened caloric beverages with water, reduced their calorie intake by an average of 200 calories per day according to a new study. This effect was sustained for at least a year, and probably indefinitely.

“We found no differences between sucrose- and high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened colas in perceived sweetness, hunger and satiety profiles, or energy intakes at lunch,” concludes a new study from researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA.

High sugar diets are not associated with obesity according to an analysis of the Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults. In fact, just the opposite. People who ate the most sugar were the leanest. This is not the first study to find this.

A high sugar intake increases the risk of pancreatic cancer according to a study from Sweden.

Women who increased their soda intake from one per week to one per day gained an average of 10.3 pounds more than women who did not increase their intake during the years of 1991-1995, and 9.2 pounds more during the years of 1995-1999 notes the study from Harvard on sugar intake and weight gain.

Each additional serving of a sugary beverage is associated with an increase in a child’s body mass index (BMI) by 0.24 units and an increase in the odds of obesity by 60 percent as noted in a paper from Harvard University on sugar intake and weight gain.

“[T]he increased consumption of HFCS, the prevailing sweetener used to flavor calorically sweetened beverages in the United States, has been found to mirror the growth of the obesity epidemic,” notes a paper from Harvard researchers in a paper on sugar intake and weight gain.

A larger percentage of men and women who drank at least one soda per week were overweight than those who drank less than one soda per week as noted in a paper from Harvard about sugar intake and weight gain.

One 12-ounce soda in the U.S. contains 150 calories and 40-50 grams of sugar sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, equal to 10 tablespoons of sugar. Adding one soda per day to your diet without any other changes could cause a weight gain of 15 pounds in a year.

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, soft drinks, colas, fruit drinks, lemonade and iced tea, has increased 2.4-fold—an increase of 135 percent—from 1977 to 2001 notes a paper from Harvard on sugar intake and weight gain.

Between 1977 and 1996, the percent of calories from sweeteners increased from 13 percent to 16 percent according to a study from Harvard on sugar and weight gain.

Replacing fat in the diet with simple sugars increases metabolism according to a recent study.