The government might tax your soda

A handful of cash-strapped states have been eyeing your Big Gulp as a new tax revenue elixir. Can a nationwide soda tax be far off?

The obesity epidemic has reached crisis levels. More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, with obesity-related conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer, emerging as some of the leading causes of preventable death.

These preventable, chronic conditions have overloaded the American health care system, with costs related to obesity now estimated at between $147 billion and $210 billion per year. With the stakes this high, uncovering the lifestyle links to these issues and attempting to curb their impact is a major challenge for public health officials.

Enter the soda tax.

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