Summit Held To Raise Awareness Of Soda-Related Disease
By Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The National Soda Summit was held in Washington DC this past week, and it was designed to raise awareness of soda-related disease and how to combat it. A Temple University professor was a panelist at the confab.
Jennifer Pomeranz is assistant professor in Temple's Department of Public Health. She says the links between soda and type two diabetes, obesity and other ailments is commonly known.
Pomeranz says what's new is that some states are actively targeting soda, like California which just passed legislation to put warning labels on soda and other sugary drinks.
"It would be a warning label just like we have on tobacco products, that would say, 'warning, consuming sugary beverages could cause diabetes and obesity.' But this warning label is a safety warning label and the government definitely has the authority to pass that."
The summit was held with the goal of reducing soda and sugary drink consumption.
Philadelphia's Mayor Michael Nutter has twice tried to pass a soda tax in the city, and twice it was defeated.