Childhood obesity is more complicated than sugary drinks

In an April 24 op-ed, Drs. Natalie Muth and Rachel Johnson urged lawmakers to place higher taxes and greater restrictions on sugary drinks as a means to reduce childhood obesity and improve overall child health. This comes as a surprise, as one would assume medical doctors understand the complexity of childhood obesity and the folly of blaming one consumer item.

Childhood obesity can’t be blamed on one thing. Many factors affect a child’s health: sleep, screen time, family habits, etc. Socioeconomic factors and cultural norms also play a role.