Enjoy soft drinks at the movies? One large Coke has 44 spoons of sugar!

President of the Coca-Cola Company's Europe Group, James Quincey, has confirmed that a large serving of Coke at the movies contains 'unnecessary' amount of sugar, 44 tps of sugar to be exact.

President of the Coca-Cola Company's Europe Group, James Quincey, has confirmed that a large serving of Coke at the movies contains 'unnecessary' amount of sugar, 44 tsp of sugar to be exact. During an interview on 'Newsnight', when the show's host asked the coke executive what good Coca-Cola did its consumers, Quincey admitted that the soft drink does have 'some' sugar in it, News.com.au reported. Quincey asserted that the beverage was not a necessity, but millions of people enjoy it as part of their diet. He added that a regular can of Coke contained 35g or six teaspoons of sugar, similar in calories to 'a cappuccino or a half a croissant'.

In the global battle against obesity, soft drinks are the prime culprit according to 9 in 10 doctors across the US, Europe and Asia. 'Recent research shows that as the sugar is in a solution, it is easily and completely ingested, giving a large injection of calories without the consequential feeling of being full,' explained Stefano Natella, Head of Global Equity Research at Credit Suisse and an author of a study on soft drink consumption.

'Added sugar can be found in almost everything edible: we feed it to children, it laces our breakfast cereals and it is a key ingredient of our soft drinks. As consumption has risen over the years, so has the prevalence of type II diabetes and obesity. Nowadays, 4.8 million people die of type II diabetes every year and close to 20% of the global population is obese,' stated the study.

The study added that daily added sugar consumption is 17 teaspoons per person while the American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar a day while men consume only nine. (Read: Are soft drinks as bad as cigarettes for your health?)

The ramifications of 'harmless' soft drinks

Every celebrity worth his salt in India endorses a soft drink. In fact, it seems to be a rite of passage for actors and sportsmen; you've not really made it unless you are endorsing a soft drink. The downside of this is it convinces millions of impressionable youngsters (and many impressionable adults) to drink what their stars are endorsing (and most probably not drinking). No wonder the Indian soft drinks market generated a staggering $3.8 billion dollars in 2010*. The ramifications are a stark increase in cases of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other ailments among both children and adults. According to a survey conducted by Fitho an online weight loss diet plan service company almost half (46%) of urban Indians are obese. Of course factors like an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle and other variables make a difference but the impact of soft drink consumption can't be discounted. (Read more: Khaane bhi do yaaron: Are there healthy eating options at the movie theatre?)

The Health.India.com Solution an anti-tobacco warlike stance

Consider the stance taken against smoking and drinking alcohol. You can't advertise those products and every time a character drinks alcohol or smokes on screen, there's a message that displays their hazards. Maybe soft drink manufacturers should mention those facts on the bottle or can. Hazard: Might cause obesity, diabetes, heart disease and dental decay!

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

With inputs from ANI

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