America's beverage companies are constantly working on innovative solutions to help families reduce their sugar consumed from beverages. We know, that when we work together to bring real and lasting solutions to communities across the country, we can have a positive impact on public health issues like obesity. And it's been proven, time and time again, that government policies which limit choice and impact hard-working families and neighborhood businesses have not been successful in addressing similar challenges.

In fact, recent research published by CDC researchers show that calories from beverages with sugar has decreased significantly, by 35.9% among youths and 26% among adults from 1999-2001 to 2011-2014 while obesity rates have continued to rise. And states that have longstanding taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, such as West Virginia and Arkansas, continue to rank among the highest in obesity rates.

The better way to tackle public health challenges like obesity is for companies, government and public health to work together to reduce sugar consumption. Visit www.balanceus.org to learn more.