A Rochester Institute of Technology economics professor says that a recent study from Cornell University proves that policies aimed at restricting certain foods and beverages “are likely to be both futile and wasteful.”

According to the Cornell study, a recommendation to limit the intake of certain foods – such as soda, candy and fast food – would have little relevance to 95 percent of Americans. In an opinion piece for The Buffalo News, Dr. Amitrajeet A. Batabyal says policymakers working to solve the nation’s obesity challenge should pay close attention to these findings.

Here at Sip & Savor, we have discussed at length how singling out one item in the grocery cart will not make anyone healthier. Batabyal agrees. “…Policy makers who believe that the way to cure obesity is to ban fast food and soda are both misguided and barking up the wrong tree,” he writes.

There is no silver bullet to solving a challenge as complex as obesity. Discriminatory policies that target one food or beverage are shortsighted and don’t provide long-term solutions. The most effective way to address obesity is educating consumers about balance and giving them the tools they need to make the choice that is right for them and their families.

This is exactly what America’s leading beverage companies are doing. We clearly display calorie counts on the front of all of the products we produce and offer a range of low- and no-calorie options and package sizes so that consumers can choose a beverage that fits into their balance equation for the day. We also launched the Balance Calories Initiative to help Americans reduce their beverage calories and encourage them to balance everything they eat, drink and do.

To learn more about how America’s beverage industry is committed to being part of the solution to obesity visit http://deliveringchoices.org/.