The war against sodas and other sugary drinks is heating up across the country.
California, New York and Baltimore all have proposed legislation calling for warning labels on them.
And on Thursday, a group of scientists urged New York lawmakers to adopt the warning label idea. The label, they say, should state: "SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay."
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There's a big reason advocacy groups have taken up the warning label cause. Sugary drinks — a.k.a "liquid candy" — is one of the biggest reasons so many of us are so fat.
The American Heart Association recommends people consume no more than 450 calories per week from sugary drinks. To put that into context, a 12-ounce regular soda contains an estimated 130 calories.
That means you could drink about 3½ regular sodas a week. Many people, however, drink that many or more in a day.
That doesn't mean you should just crack open a diet soda instead. Studies have found that people who drink diet beverages end up eating significantly more calories from food than those who don't.
The safe bet? Stick to water.
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