There is so much talk these days about the growing obesity problem in the world, wouldn’t it be great to hear something positive regarding the issue? Well, it looks like the U.S. beverage industry has decided to finally take some initiative. Maybe this will get the ball rolling for others to follow…

In a stunning announcement, the major U.S. soft-drink makers Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Cadbury Schweppes, and other members of the American Beverage Association, have promised to pull all sugared soft drinks from the nation's schools within the next three years. Beverages still sold in school will be restricted in portion size and calorie content.

The industry action came after negotiations with the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association. The two organizations convinced the industry to join them in the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

At the very least this is a step in the right direction. Kids will no longer have the access they had before to these high-calorie sodas, making the school environment healthier, and helps break the soft-drink habit for future children. And who knows what other industries may follow now that high-calorie drinks are out, and accountability is in? Can the fast-food industry continue to turn a blind-eye to obesity now?