The United States is currently facing one of its largest periods of growth; not in industrial production, but in waistband size. Obesity rates in the United States are at an all time high along with other diseases such as type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This trend is due to American's increased caloric consumption and unhealthy lifestyles. One main cause of the obesity growth is the increased consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. These beverages account for a large amount of the daily caloric intake of the average American citizen. The alarming affects of obesity in the United States are shaking the country, which has been ranked in the top three most obese countries in the world for the past ten years. Urban areas are often more susceptible to high soft drink consumption levels due to the fast-past lifestyle and large influence of soda corporations. New York City has taken one of the biggest stands against these overbearing companies by passing legislation to ban the sale of all large soda containers. Although this is just a start, states across the country can follow New York City Mayor Bloomberg's example and start to create healthier societies for their constituents. Along with large cities, college campuses are also at an incredibly high risk of over-consumption.

College campuses in the United States are a feeding ground of low-income, high intensity cluster of students whose daily meals often take place in a twenty-minute gap between classes. Due to low production costs and high demand, soda products sell at incredibly low prices, which is very appealing to college students. At the University of South Carolina, many students consume at least one sugar-sweetened beverage every day. At the state level, South Carolina has the second highest childhood obesity rating in the nation, with nearly twenty-two percent of children (aged 10-17) suffering from obesity. This statistic shows that children in South Carolina are more likely to deal with the problem of obesity in young adulthood because of the negative habits they learned during childhood. Due to a lack of nutrition knowledge, most of these students do not understand the health risks of their consumption. Students need to have proper education on the health habits that will affect their health in the future. However, student education cannot create laws to control soft drinks but, well-informed students have the power of influence and can create government action through political demonstrations.  

The United State's citizens have never veered away from expressing their opinions on government action and the topic of diet control is no exception. Many residents in New York City voiced their concern over the soda ban, explaining that it infringed on their right to pursue the lifestyle of their choice. Governmental intervention is a common aspect of a functioning federal system and high ranking officials are put into decision making roles because they work towards the greater good of the United States and its citizens. Research in the United States shows the link between unhealthy diets and obesity and it suggests that government policy is implemented in order to control this problem. Government in the United States and across the world have used policy and regulation to help guide their citizens to a healthier lifestyle, and therefore cut down on many diseases. The United States government should be allowed to intervene in Americans' lifestyles in order to expunge disease and create a healthier community. 

Before any political action can occur, it is important to understand what obesity really is. As defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is the state of have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of thirty or greater. BMI is calculated using a person's height and weight in order to determine the relative health of that person. People who have a BMI of 30 or greater are at a much higher risk of developing a disease known as Type-2 diabetes. This disease is caused by high levels of sugar in the blood; such high levels that the pancreas is not able to create sufficient levels insulin to digest all of the sugars. This can create serious problems inside the body and lead to many diseases. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. This disease can be controlled if the United States starts with its main source; obesity. 

Americans have been slowly increasing in weight since the nation was founded however, recent spikes in weight levels can be directly correlated to rapid growth in soda sales. From 1980 to 2000, Coca-Cola experienced a sales increase of nearly thirty percent. The controversy of this issue stems from the fact that soft drinks, unlike cigarettes, never generated government legislation. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a great deal of action against cigarettes and other tobacco products because they recognize the serious health risks involved. The University of South Carolina has also taken action against these dangerous products by declaring itself a tobacco free campus. Similar to cigarettes, soft drinks contain lethal chemicals, such as high-fructose corn syrup, that cause thousands of deaths every year but the sales of these products continue to rise due to lack of regulation. The problem government faces with soft drink companies, as opposed to cigarette companies, is the large amount of public influence these companies have due to immense lobbying. The taxes and sales regulation of tobacco products occurred before these companies had grown into such large establishments, allowing the government to regulate them more unquestionably. The public's late recognition of the dangerous health effects of soft drinks has allowed companies, like Coca-Cola, to swell to uncontrollable sizes. This controversy is very similar to the conversation during the ban of cigarette sales minors and increased taxation; this controversy being, to what extent should the government be able to control citizens' choices and lifestyles.

The controversy of an over-extending government has always been an issue for liberals in the United States and this includes diet regulation. American citizens are raised on the idea of freedom, especially those granted by the Bill of Rights, but recent government regulations have been seen as the federal government over-stepping its jurisdiction. During the regulation of cigarettes, many citizens said it was unconstitutional for the government to control individual decision making to such an extent and this argument has been extended to soft drinks in recent years. The United States government, consisting of elected and selected officials, represent the citizens of the country and their interests both abroad and domestically. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services exists to help guide citizens to healthy lifestyles. This government agency does not have rigid jurisdiction and it is often possible for them to exceed their invisible territory. The controversy for regulating soft-drinks is a battle between officials and the constituents that elected them. The United States people must allow the bureaucracy to function and understand that all government legislation is backed by scientific research and is aimed at improving the well-being of all citizens.

       Due to the increasing levels of obesity and diabetes, research on the topic of disease caused by sugar-sweetened beverages continues to grow in quantity and quality. Dr. Luanne DeChristopher conducted a research project to analyze the correlation between high fructose corn syrup consumption and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). High fructose corn syrup is the leading artificial sweetener in modern soft drinks and large quantities of this product can lead to excess free fructose (EFF) in the body. This research discovered a direct link between high amounts of EFF and the development of COPD in previously healthy subjects. Dr. DeChristopher found that high levels of EFF in the body can cause COPD at even higher rates than smoking cigarettes. Through her incredible research, DeChristopher has formally found that high fructose corn syrup, most commonly found in sugar-sweetened beverages, can lead to chronic diseases at an even more alarming rate than another product, cigarettes, which have been heavily regulated. This discovery supports the argument for regulating products, like soda, that have extreme levels of high fructose corn syrup. Dr. Luanne DeChristopher discovered a major cause of chronic diseases in the United States, a cause that is preventable, however, the continued consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages continues to burden the population and has reached a new level by affecting the national economy.

            The United States has the largest healthcare system in the world, spending over two trillion eight hundred seventy-five billion seven hundred nineteen million dollars ($2,875,719,000,000) every year any an array of health care projects, and nearly seventeen percent of this total expenditures ($488,872,230,000) goes towards heart disease and obesity related incidents. The enormous health costs created by these diseases, along with other economic factors such as lost productivity and wages, are avoidable if the government is able to control the causes of these diseases; soft drinks. Dr. Hugh Tunstall-Pedoe, a professor at the University of Minnesota, has done extensive research in corroboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the rising rates of cardiovascular diseases. Along with Dr. Tunstall-Pedoe and WHO, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in three Americans will suffer from a heart-related disease in their lifetime, most of which are preventable through lifestyle changes. Beyond the many health related issues, the capitalist United States government must understand the vast economic impact of soft drink and the diseases they cause. The machine only functions with healthy parts, and an estimated loss of $275 billion in productivity is a large dent into the U.S. economy. WHO and CDC are very reputable organizations and they both recognize that regulation is needed to stop the growth of these diseases in order to protect both the general health of citizens as well as the economic prosperity of the United States. 

There are still many dissenting arguments against the idea of regulatory policy to control soda consumption in the United States, despite the plethora of research. The main dissenting argument is that government intervention in public consumption is unconstitutional and will not help the problem. Firstly, the government of the United States has regulated private consumption of products, such as tobacco and alcohol, before and these actions have been made into Constitutional Amendments (specifically the 18th and 21st Amendments). These actions show that regulation of unhealthy beverages would not be stepping over any constitutional boundaries. Secondly, many people feel that American's lack sufficient exercise habits, and that diet is not the main factor in the growing obesity rates in the country. In order to account for this external variable, consider the case of Mexico. After being ranked the most obese country in the world in 2012, the Mexican government initiated a strong tax program to keep demand for unhealthy foods low. Over the next two years, Mexico saw a four percent decrease in the consumption of these items. Mexico was able to transform the health of its citizens without inciting any major lifestyle changes, like increased exercise. Although it is too early to determine whether there has been a large impact on obesity, Franco Sassi, a senior health economist at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, is optimistic that Mexico's tax policies will make the country much healthier in the long run. The United States government can follow the example set by Mexico before it reaches the peak of 'most obese country in the world' and use tax laws to help direct its citizen back to a healthy diet.

            Another dissenting argument is that obesity is caused by other things, and soda is merely one small cause. At the United States Department of Public Health, Dr. Cindy Leung has scientifically proven that the leading cause of obesity in the U.S. is indeed sugar-sweetened beverages. Dr. Leung researched the association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and leukocyte telomere length in U.S. adults. A leukocyte is the key blood cell for fighting disease in the human body. Shortened leukocyte lengths can lead to rapid cell aging and decrease the body's ability to fight disease in the future. Dr. Leung's research found a direct correlation between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and shortened leukocyte lengths. Dr. Leung states that there is "sufficient evidence to limit (the) consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to improve cardio-metabolic risk factors reduce chronic disease risk, and improve overall health." The evidence found through this research directly supports a decrease in soda consumption also, Dr. Leung's argument directly argues that sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading cause obesity and other diseases in the United States. Dr. Cindy Leung directly supports the fight against sugar-sweetened beverages in the U.S. and her expertise is strong reasoning behind government action aimed to control sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in the United States. 

The University of South Carolina is one of the leading research institutions in the nations, filled with intelligent young minds however, it still fails to heed the warning sent down by these experts. On campus, sugar-sweetened beverages can be purchased from vending machines inside nearly every single building including class buildings and dormitories. The University also offers its students unlimited soft drinks in the dining areas scattered throughout campus. This blatant disregard for medical research shows that the University of South Carolina has not made progress in battling the obesity crisis that is especially strong within the state. Many doctors have insisted for government action to help control these substances nationwide and the university should also be working to bring down soda consumptions on campus. Students at the University of South Carolina need education about the dangers of sugar-sweetened beverages so that they can work together to create school-wide action. Research proves that the consumption of these beverages must decrease in order to maintain good health and the students of the University of South Carolina needs the university to control sugar-sweetened beverages in order to increase the overall well-being of the student body.

The next step, after identifying the underlying causes of obesity and other diseases in the United States, is to take action against the problem and create physical policy that will control the growth of these diseases in the country. Many different possibilities exist to solve the obesity crisis in the United States but the most effective solution has been proven through history. As previously stated, the United States began regulating cigarettes in 1965 which drastically reduced the number of cancer patients in the following years. The regulation of cigarettes consisted of a minimum purchase age of eighteen and increased the tax on every package of cigarettes. This form of regulation is called 'command and control policy' that corrects the demand of a product in order to account for negative externalities, such as disease. New York Times author, Mark Bittman, explores this topic in his article "Bad Food? Tax It, and Subsidizes Vegetables". Bittman firstly assesses the case of cigarettes and finds that the current number of smokers in the United States is less than half it was in 1960, five years before the regulation began. Through much mathematical calculation, Bittman found that a simple tax of one cent per ounce on all sugar-sweetened beverages would generate over one billion dollars in government revenue in a single year. Beyond just creating funds, this tax would negatively incentivize citizens from purchasing these beverages, preventing an estimated 37,000 cases of diabetes each year. Drawn down to the state level, South Carolina, with a two cent per ounce tax, could reduce obesity by up to eighteen percent, save $350 million in health care expensive, and generate $800 million in tax revenue. Bittman suggests that this revenue is used to subsidize healthier food items like fruits and vegetables, however, there are many different ways for this money to be used. A different use for the new government revenue is to cycle it back through the healthcare system, helping to cure those already stricken with diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis. The increased government funding would allow the system to function more smoothly and also be less of a strain on the national economy. Finally, after these diseases have been eliminated, the tax revenue can be used to boost other programs such as education, public works projects, or welfare. Mark Bittman's idea of taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages has been proven successful through it use on cigarettes and the benefits that come as an outcome of these policies would drastically improve overall utility in the United States.

            A second prospect for controlling the high levels of excess high-fructose corn syrup in the standard American diet is to institute 'cap and trade' policies which will create a 'sugar ceiling' for all corporations. A 'sugar ceiling' means that companies will only be allowed to have up to a set amount of added sugar in their products. Cap and trade policies are economic policies that the government uses to set a maximum level of sugar that is allowed in the food market and corporations must trade sugar permits in order to add sugar to their products. This system encourages free market trade and allows the demand for the permits to decide their price. High permit prices would force some corporations to simply decrease the level of sugar they add to their products instead of spending money on sugar permits. Dr. Sanjay Basu, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, has published extensive research on the possible effects of cap and trade policies on the amount of added sugar in the average American's diet and he has found that such policies would decrease obesity rates and cases of type-2 diabetes. Dr. Basu's cap and trade policies would shift the burden of solving the obesity crisis from the consumers to the producers. Taxation policies force consumers to spend extra money on the sugar-sweetened beverages, which can encourage corporations to lower their prices in order to maintain a high demand however, cap and trade policies push this burden onto the soda corporations by forcing them to either purchase sugar permits or decrease the amount of sugar they add to their products. Cap and trade policies, as suggested by Dr. Sanjay Basu, would limit the amount sugar added to soft drinks by corporations and decrease the number of type-2 diabetes and obesity cases in the United States. Although these policies differ from Mark Bittman's taxation policies, they would still accomplish the primary goal of decreasing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity in the United States.

            These two different policies, taxation and 'cap and trade', offer final solutions to the obesity crisis in the United States and it is time to take action and enact such policies in order to start improving the well-being of all United States citizens. Medical research has proven that sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading cause of many easily avoided diseases in the United States. The taxation policy has proven itself to be successful through many different tests; firstly, in the United States when it was implemented in 1965 to regulate cigarettes and, secondly, in Mexico where these policies have created an immediate drop in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Used in conjunction with cap and trade policies, these two policies will reduce the amount of sugar in the standard American diet, reduce obesity and type-2 diabetes rates, generate useful government revenue, and create a healthier American workforce. The United States of America is facing a terrible crisis and it is the duty of the government to control sugar-sweetened beverages with progressive tax policies in order to ensure that every American can live a life free from obesity. 

