Wonder why so many American kids are overweight? Here's one likely explanation: More than half of U.S. children two years and older drink at least one soda or other sugary beverage every day, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers looked at the drinking habits of Americans over a three-year period, including energy drinks, fruit drinks, sodas, sports drinks, and sweetened bottled waters (diet drinks, 100 percent fruit juice, sweetened teas, and flavored milks were not included). Seventy percent of boys and 60 percent of girls had a at least one sugary drink on any given day. Males drank more of the sweet stuff than females, and children and teens drank more than adults.

Sugary drinks have been linked to a number of health woes, including cavities, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and possibly pancreatic cancer. A recent study found levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides were about 10 percent higher in teens who consumed large amounts of sugar compared with those who consumed very little.

Bottom line: Nearly a fifth of U.S. children and teens are now obese. Cutting back on sugar-sweetened sodas and other drinks is one simple first step. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 450 calories of sugar-sweetened beverages a week, or fewer than three 12-oz cans of soda. But with all the soda and energy drinks on store shelves and ads for them targeting children, it’s can be hard to get kids to avoid the stuff. So make a commitment to keep sodas and other sugary drinks out of the home. And make sure you have other tasty alternatives to offer, such as seltzer or water mixed with 100 percent fruit juice, strong tea, or fruit slices. Or try smoothies made from fresh or frozen fruit, plain nonfat yogurt, and ice.

Sources
Consumption of Sugar Drinks in the United States, 2005-2008 [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]