A better alternative

The government should think twice about banning soft drinks larger than 20 ounces [“Civil Disagreement: Should government ban 20-ounce colas?” Ed cetera, seattletimes.com, June 5].

Singling out soft drinks alone contradicts the complex obesity epidemic — what about diet pop, fruit juice, milkshakes and beer? As a registered dietitian who counsels weight-loss patients, we need to instill healthy associations with food/beverages — not negative ones. This starts with teaching individuals how to choose healthy amounts of food/drinks or learning to share bigger portions.

Instead of the government regulating the kind of beverages we can have, we should educate the greater population on how to live a healthy lifestyle by encouraging healthy nutrition habits and physical activity.

— Alyson Mace, Lake Stevens