Coca-Cola embarking on anti-obesity campaign

Drinks manufacturer Coca-Cola has announced plans to increase the visibility of calorie counts on its fizzy drinks in a bid to tackle obesity, reports guardian.co.uk.

The move forms part of the manufacturer's drive to improve its reputation among customers amid concerns its carbonated drinks are contributing towards the world's obesity epidemic.

In addition, the firm will also stop advertising aimed at children under 12 around the world - a measure which was introduced in the UK in 2009.

However, the firm has neglected to reveal the timeframe or the cost of the initiative, but did announce plants to hand out $3.8 million (£2.4 million) in grants for 'active living' programs, reports rt.com.

Raising awareness about exercise and calorie counts is just one way to help prevent obesity and overeating. There are many other avenues available to those worried about their weight, such researching dietary advice or embarking on hypnotherapy courses to understand any root causes behind the weight gain.

Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola's chairman and chief executive, commented on the drive: "We want to be part of the solution.

"We all know that taking in calories is more fun than spending calories and we want to make spending calories also a little bit of fun. We believe that this will begin to make a difference [and] create awareness around the importance of active, healthy, lifestyles," added Kent.