With this week’s Weight of the Nation conference in Washington, D.C. and the release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies report, obesity has become a focal point in the national dialogue.  And for good reason, as combating obesity will truly require equal efforts and collaboration of individuals, communities and corporations across the board.

However, there is one proposal floating around out there that does not add to this collaborative spirit: taxing, singling-out and demonizing sugar-sweetened beverages.  As we’ve explained in the past, imposing a regressive tax on a small percent of calories in the diet is an overly simplistic and ineffective way to combat the complex issue of obesity.

But don’t just take our word for it - a number of letters to the editors have appeared in newspapers across the country calling for more common sense approaches. We hope you take a moment to read some opinions in the Chicago Sun-Times, USA Today and the Kentucky Courier-Journal and share yours with us on Facebook and Twitter.