Last week in Cincinnati, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation), members of the Ohio Beverage Association and the American Beverage Association (ABA) visited a local grocery store with elected officials, public health professionals and members of the faith-based community to show how we are working in the marketplace to reduce sugar from beverages.

In the fall of 2014, Healthier Generation; ABA; and Coke, Dr Pepper and Pepsi announced the Balance Calories Initiative, a ten-year commitment to reduce beverage calories 20 percent by 2025. The grocery store tour gave attendees an in-depth and transparent look into our efforts to achieve the ambitious goal through consumer choice and education.

Led by bottlers from Coke, Dr Pepper and Pepsi, each company guided a tour through the Kroger Marketplace to highlight their unique approach to encouraging consumers to choose beverages with less sugar. Members of the Ohio Beverage Association were able to share local insights about the national effort with notable attendees including Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley and First Lady Dena Cranley, Reverend Damon Lynch Jr. and First Lady Barbara Lynch of the New Jerusalem Baptist Church, members of the Cincinnati Health Department, a local health foundation, United Way of Greater Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The tour led to an engaging dialogue about local bottlers' continued efforts working with retail customers on this important initiative and how it's happening in their community.

In the coming months, the Ohio Beverage Association will continue to conduct additional market tours and briefing sessions throughout the state to showcase the beverage industry's leadership commitment and approach to their newest initiative. For more information about the initiative, please visit www.balanceus.org