The Center for Science in the Public Interest in the US has released a new animated short film in an effort to reposition sugary drinks as a disease-promoting source of sadness.

Starring four polar bears and accompanied by a song from Grammy-award-winning singer and songwriter, Jason Mraz, The Real Bears tells the story of a family suffering from the adverse health impacts of soda consumption, including weight gain, obesity, tooth decay, diabetes and its associated complications, including amputation and erectile dysfunction.

According to Michael Jacobson, executive director of The Center for Science in the Public Interest, it is important the general public start to appreciate the health risks associated with soda. "Soda and sugary drinks still are the biggest single source of calories in the American diet, accounting for about 7 per cent," he says. "Each sugary drink consumed per day increases the likelihood of a child becoming obese by about 60 per cent."

Jeff Ritterman is leading a campaign to introduce a tax on sugar sweetened drinks in Richmond, US. Speaking in the September issue of Health Club Management, he says the reason fizzy drinks are so dangerous is that they contain fructose on its own, which can’t be metabolised by the liver and therefore is stored as fat and cholesterol. "There's scientific evidence linking these drinks to obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronaries," he says.

To view the Real Bears videos, click here.