We have a nutrition scientist who has actually looked at the studies. Certainly, if you decrease consumption of sweetened beverages it could help you lose weight, just as decreasing consumption of other caloric sources does, but there is not strong evidence linking sweetened beverages in particular to obesity. It's part of a complex set of behaviours and lifestyle patterns, including screen time, frequent consumption of fast foods, and physical inactivity. It's very difficult to disentangle any individual factors linked to obesity.
