For years, science has supported the theory that sugar can be as addictive as alcohol or tobacco. Does it then follow that this commonplace but potentially harmful substance should be similarly regulated?

According to researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), absolutely.

In their study, "The Toxic Truth About Sugar," published in the scientific journal Nature, the authors advocate taxing sugary foods and controlling sales to children under 17.

According to their statistics, reported on CBS New’s HealthPop, worldwide sugar intake has tripled in the last 50 years, and the average person is taking in a whopping 500 calories from added sugar in processed foods alone.

But is sugar really "toxic," like the authors of the Nature article say? In those quantities, yes.

Recently the American Academy of Family Physicians announced an agreement with Coca Cola, whereby Coke would give a six-figure grant to the AAFP to develop web content on beverages and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This outraged many in the health and wellness field. There were calls for the AAFP to break their deal with the soda giant, denounce any health benefits of sugary beverages, and proclaim them a piece of the health crisis pie by contributing to America’s growing obesity problem, especially among children. 

Walter Willett, guest speaker at Integrative Nutrition and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) nutrition and health researcher, has written a letter to the President-elect of the AAFP, giving them an alternative to the deal with Coke. "I'd like to offer your organization the opportunity to link to our website's content and return the funding to Coca-Cola," says Willett in the letter. HSPH's popular Nutrition Source website contains multiple pages of accessible content on how to achieve a healthy diet.

Willett agrees that it is important to provide information about how people can incorporate foods and drinks they love into an overall healthy lifestyle. He points out however, that research overwhelmingly suggests that the consumption of sugar-laden sodas is a leading cause of obesity in the U.S. today and that children are particularly at risk. For a copy of the complete letter go here.

Do you agree that the AAFP should return the money to Coca Cola and provide quality information on how to reduce sugary beverages for a healthy lifestyle? What are your thoughts? 

America made history last night by electing Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. With new leadership comes new challenges and new possibilities.

One of the hurdles he will face is the state of our healthcare system. Healthcare premiums have doubled in the last eight years and tens of millions of Americans are uninsured because of rising costs. We need someone who can ensure affordable, accessible health coverage for all, and Obama has a plan that appealed to the millions of Americans that voted for him.

If we can move 1 percent of the 2 trillion dollars Americans spend annually on healthcare and direct that toward education and prevention in schools and corporations, we could drop healthcare costs.

Let’s get soda out of the classrooms, fast foods out of hospitals and help Americans be healthy, happy people. Let’s support Obama and Biden in ensuring affordable healthcare coverage for all.

Across the country schools are banning candy and soda from vending machines, but is a Massachusetts school district taking it too far by not allowing parents to pack junk food in their kids’ lunches? Check out this CNN video which argues both sides of the story.

Critics of the policy argue that schools should focus on daily exercise, while others are applauding the school banning junk foods. The policy poses the question, “Are schools parenting the parents by telling them what they can or cannot pack in their kids’ lunches?”

Childhood obesity is a big concern and the efforts need to not only come from the school board but also the parents. Whether you are young or old healthy eating begins at home by having plenty of vegetables, fruit and other whole foods available. Kids are amazing observers, so most of their food habits—good or bad—come from what they see at home.

Click here for recipes on preparing vegetables that your whole family can enjoy together.

Last year, over 1 million adults were diagnosed with diabetes. That’s more than 4,000 people every day. That’s crazy! Recently, diabetes experts from around the world gathered in New York City to discuss different techniques to help patients lose weight and get their blood sugar under control. They talked about the extreme measures of gastric bypass surgery and other surgeries. But mostly, they realized we have a long way to go with education and prevention.

Type 2 diabetes is largely caused by lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. Most Americans consume too many foods with refined sweets and added sugars found in doughnuts, candy bars and sodas. This type of diet disrupts our normal blood glucose levels which provide energy to the cells. Think about how you feel after a piece of cake. You have a ton of energy, right? This energy spike only lasts for an hour or so and then you crash, causing a roller-coaster effect.

It may take years for diabetes to develop, but more doctors realize the importance of intervening before our health truly takes a toll.  You don’t need to make drastic changes. Start to include more vegetables, fruits and whole grains into your diet. If you crave sweets, trying eating more sweet vegetables such as sweet potatoes or squash.

As you make changes to your diet you can also look at the role of exercise in your life. Try incorporating more movement into your day whether that is going for a walk, run, bike ride or a yoga class. Experiment with what works for you.

By making these changes you will not only decrease your chance of getting diabetes, but you may inspire others to make healthier lifestyle changes.