Sales of sugary drinks have fallen in the U.S., the result of an effort to tackle obesity, the beverage industry says.

Shipments of full-calorie soft drinks to schools were down 95 per cent between fall 2004 and fall 2009, according to a report from the American Beverage Association.

During the last three years, sales of water, unsweetened juice and low-fat and non-fat milk, both flavoured and unflavoured, have been permitted in elementary and middle schools in child-sized portions. High school students may buy diet pop and sports drinks.

"There's been a dramatic shift toward lower calorie and more nutritious beverages in schools," former president Bill Clinton told a news conference in New York on Monday. "It could lay the foundation for broader changes in our society."

To reduce consumption of pop beyond schools, California and Philadelphia have introduced legislation to tax soda. New York Gov. David Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are also urging a state tax on sugary drinks.

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