Mayor Bloomberg has successfully rolled out a $15 million ad campaign attacking sugar consumption. This is part of a national anti-obesity program called Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) which is carried out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal agency under HHS. Funding comes from President Obama’s national stimulus package.

The unforgettable grim imagery illustrates how obesity is directly related to the excessive consumption of sugar in everyday products such as soft drinks. The campaign is aimed at all age groups, but targets 18 to 24 year olds — 48% of which consume at least one sugary beverage each day.  The TV commercials make direct connections between sugar intake and diabetes, detailing the effects of diabetes such as images of blackened toes.

“Too many sugar-sweetened drinks are fueling the obesity epidemic,” NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said. “Obesity and the serious health consequences that result are making hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers sick or disabled. This new campaign shows how easy it is to drink a staggering amount of sugar in one day without realizing it.”

In New York City alone, diabetes results in 22,000 hospitalizations, 2,800 amputations and close to 1,700 deaths every year, the statement said.

What’s the answer to this problem? Keep the Sweet and Lose the Sugar, especially with your everyday staples (and ice cream!).

Check out some of NYC’s anti-sugar commercials here and here.