It's sad. People of all races and backgrounds are obese. In a recent survey conducted at Henry Ford College, 43 percent of students were overweight. Whether it's because they don't follow a healthy diet or they inherited it from their parents. Being overweight is related to a lack of exercise or physical activity and not paying attention to what's on your plate. Obesity can cause many diseases, including diabetes, which is very common. While there is debate over whether the soda tax should go into effect, critics say the tax will help those suffering from obesity-related diseases. How about doing physical activity and maintaining a healthy lifestyle? These two factors cannot be forgotten knowing that they are the most important. Americans have consumed 12% soda and become less active since 1970. A soda tax aims to stop consumers from buying soda to help those who are obese. This will not be effective. Therefore a tax on soda will not be good public policy. A soda tax is a tax that will add an extra penny per ounce. The article, Soda Consumption Does Not Equal Obesity, states that soda is not the only reason people are obese. When people are more active, they are less likely to get obesity-related diseases. Being active plays an important role because people constantly burn fat, which makes them less likely to be overweight or obese. Economists at Emory University say soft drinks don't have a big impact on weight. The reason is that, if untaxed, soft drinks account for only 7% of a soda drinker's calorie intake. An article published by the National Association of Convenience Stores states that Virginia and Arkansas are currently taxing soda. “Just look at West Virginia and Arkansas, two states that currently tax soft drinks. These two states have some of the highest obesity rates in the country,” said Muhart Kent. If soda taxation didn't affect obesity in these two states, it won't affect obesity in either of them