Are You Drinking Blubber? New Video Rallies Against Sugary Drinks

According to the New York City Health Department, just one daily soda can pour 10 pounds of fat onto your frame in a single year. New Yorkers may already know this thanks to subway posters and educational brochures that appeared around the Big Apple this summer. But now, the New York City Health Department has taken the message to the next level -- video. This stomach-churning ad makes the link between sugary drinks and fatabundantly clear by showing a man chugging blubber from a can.

"Sugary drinks shouldn't be a part of our everyday diets," Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner, said in a press release. The Health Department reports that Americans are consuming, on average, 200 to 300 more calories per day now than they were 30 years ago.

"Half or more of those calories come from sugar-sweetened drinks," Cathy Nonas, director of the New York City Health Department's Physical Activity and Nutrition program, told That's Fit, saying that sugar-sweetened drinks include things like soda, of course, but also sweetened teas and sports drinks.

"We wanted a hard campaign for what we believe is a very big problem," Nonas said. "The Health Department is doing a lot to reduce obesity, including our calorie posting and access to healthy foods in under-served areas. We're working to consistently make the healthiest choice the easiest choice for New Yorkers."

While opting for drinks like water or tea is the best option, consider cutting your soda habit by drinking smaller amounts at first. One soda company is even making it a little easier to sip less. It's still not good for you, but it's better than drinking twice as much!