Soft drinks, childhood overweight, and the role of nutrition educators: let's base our solutions on reality and sound science.

The percentage of overweight children in the United States and other countries has now reached epidemic proportions. Both physical activity and food intake contribute to the energy equation, but research increasingly points to physical inactivity as the primary culprit in weight gain. Singling out and restricting specific foods and beverages are unlikely to be effective in reducing the prevalence of overweight children. Nutrition educators need to emphasize overall lifestyle, including physical activity, as well as caloric intake, in childhood overweight intervention efforts. Long-lasting solutions to the obesity epidemic must be comprehensive and must include all of the key stakeholders: children, parents, schools, health professionals, businesses, and community leaders and organizations. Nutrition educators can play a key role in developing wide-ranging and diverse coalitions, including food and beverage companies, designed to affect social change aimed at achieving healthy weight for children.