The US soft drinks industry, accused by health authorities of promoting obesity, said Monday it had dramatically reduced the amount of high-calorie sodas sold in schools.

Leading companies, including Coca-cola and PepsiCo, joined former president Bill Clinton in announcing the results of an initiative they said had reduced by 88 percent the number of drinks calories in US schools since 2004.

"It's a brand new day in America's schools when it comes to beverages," said the head of the American Beverage Association, Susan Neely.

"Our beverage companies have slashed calories in schools as full-calorie soft drinks have been removed. The beverages available to students are now lower-calorie, nutritious, smaller-portion choices."

The cuts were the result of an agreement between the big soft drinks companies and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and Clinton Foundation.

Nearly one in five US children aged six to 19 are estimated to be obese, a condition that frequently leads to related health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

The soft drinks industry is one of the main targets for critics and Monday's announcement from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation provided the industry with a rare piece of positive news.

There are growing attempts by local and state governments to impose a so-called "fat tax" on soft drinks -- both to fill public coffers during recession and to curb soft drink consumption.