If you ever wondered why I'm so adamant about ridding schools of sugary sweet drinks, this latest Penn State University study connecting these beverages to chronic health problems later in life ought to convince you.

Researchers tracked the health of more than 150 young teenage girls and their parents a bit differently than most. After measuring children for cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose and waist circumference among other variables, scientists worked backwards to detect the cluster of signs leading to metabolic syndrome.

No surprise, the young girls at greatest risk for hypertension and metabolic syndrome experienced significant increases in weight and fat mass. Additionally, those patients at the greatest risk for metabolic syndrome consumed far many more sweet drinks between ages 5-9, proving once again why drinking even one extra soda a day can be so dangerous to your overall health.

All of this merely underscores how the rampant epidemic of childhood obesity in America is linked to the health of your children as they age. Thankfully, there's plenty of things you can do stop this epidemic in your home before it gets out of control.