Should sodas have
warning labels?

The agency's rationale is based on its analysis of government data showing that the average teenager drinks about two 12-ounce soft drinks a day and that one in 10 teens drinks five a day or more. At about 150 calories each, soft drink calories can add up quickly and displace foods and drinks with beneficial nutrients.

Question: Will warnings help?

Answer: There is no question that switching from five sodas a day to five fruits or vegetables would be healthier. But, in the real world, teens are not known for giving great credence to government warnings. In fact, a number of studies have found that when children and teens are told that they should not consume certain foods, those foods become more desirable.

Q: What is the real harm?

A: Soft drinks provide plenty of carbohydrate calories without associated nutrients. Young adults' diets should meet their nutrient needs within their caloric requirements for adequate, but not excessive, growth. Sedentary children have lower calorie needs and require more "nutrient-dense foods" -- those that pack lots of nutrients into fewer calories. Active children, especially teens, have high-calorie needs and can more easily fit "empty-calorie" foods such as sodas into their overall diets. In fact, those engaged in heavy training for sports might need easily consumed sources of carbohydrates.

Q: If soft drinks have warning labels, what's next?

A: If the need for a warning label is based on nutrient density, then other foods might also be considered. Many sports drinks, for example, are just diluted sugar water with a pinch of salt and other minor ingredients.

This opens the door to lemonade and guava drink (mostly water, sugar and vitamin C), sugar packets, syrups, jellies and honey. Popsicles and shave ice would clearly need warnings.

Perhaps positive messages would make sense. How about this one? "The average person can burn up the 150 calories in this beverage by jogging 1.5 miles."