A new report suggests sugary,calorie-packed drinks are making some Americans fatter.

Researchers from the Center for Public Health Advocacy and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research interviewed 42,000 Californians of all ages for the study.

They found that 24 percent of adults drink one or more non-diet sodas a day. They say those people are 27 percent more likely to be overweight than those who do not drink soda.

The results for children were even worse – with 41 percent of kids between the ages of two and 11, and 62 percent of adolescents (between the ages of 12 and 17), drinking at least one sugar-sweetened drink a day.

“For the first time, we have strong scientific evidence that soda is one of the – if not the largest – contributors to the obesity epidemic,” said Dr. Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.

Experts say living a lifestyle that includes a healthy diet with plenty of exercise is the best way to maintain a healthy weight.

For those trying to lose or control their weight, health practitioners have also recommended the alkaline diet.

It is based on citrus fruits, vegetables, tubers, nuts and legumes.