One day after the state of Mississippi made it illegal for cities and counties to put a ban on super-sized beverages or any other food regulations, a study that was presented at an American Heart Association conference claims that sugary drinks are linked to 180,000 global deaths each year.

Harvard Researchers took 114 national dietary surveys from around the world and combined them with studies on sugary drinks featured in various medical journals, CNN reported. The study also took into account other factors that may affect weight gain including exercise, alcohol, smoking and other food and drink options.

The research team examined all the evidence and concluded that more people tended to die from obesity related illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes in places where sugary drink consumption was popular.

The United States is home to 25,000 deaths linked to consuming sugary drinks, making it the third highest in obesity related deaths each year. Mexico was ranked number one among obesity related deaths out of the 35 largest countries.

On average, a 20-ounce caffeinated beverage contains 15 to 18 teaspoons of sugar and around 240 calories. Researchers say drinking sugar filled sodas will not make you feel as full as if you ate a meal with that same calorie count.

On Monday, Gov. Phil Bryant, governor of the most obese state in America, signed a new law prohibiting any municipality from banning the consumption of over-sized sugary soft drinks, forcing restaurants to post their food's nutritional facts and banning toys in fast food establishments, Reuters reported.

This development comes a week after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal for eliminating over sweetened beverages in the New York area was denied.

According the Center for Disease Control, roughly 34.9 percent of Mississippi's population weighs 30 pounds over the ideal weight for Americans. So what effect will this regulation have on already the most overweight state in the nation?

"It is simply not the role of government to micro-regulate citizens' dietary decisions," Bryant said in a statement. "The responsibility for one's personal health depends on individual choices about a proper diet and appropriate exercise."