Eating sugary foods does not regulate appetite and therefore does not help with weight control.Most people do not have any idea about all the high fructose corn syrup  ..or SUGAR...(HFCS) they are eating because it is hidden in foods.

According to UC Davis nutrition researcher Havel, the fruit sugar fructose (which is in hfcs) does not promote leptin production which then fails to help control appetite and weight gain. So in simple terms, eating fructose sugar does not satisfy so people are still hungry and will gain weight when they eat it. Havel says that because fructose also does not suppress the hormone ghrelin, which is the hormone is what makes people hungry, then people continue eating because they do not feel full.
SO in simple terms, if a person wants to feel full after eating, It is important to make sure the diet contains foods that will help regulate appetite to help prevent overweight. Eating sugary foods defeats that goal.
Also, 80 percent of Americans are deficient in Chromium, a mineral vital to blood sugar regulation and carbohydrate digestion. One of the top reasons for this is drinking soft drinks, which are rich in phosphorus and phosphorus blocks chromium absorbtion. So, in a nutshell, drinking soft drinks leads to chromium deficiency. A deficiency in chromium can cause wide spread weight gain. To try to repelenish chromium, natural sources are apples, bananas, broccoli, and potatoes and drinking orange juice with these sources helps absorbtion. 
That is why recent articles have talked about calcium which is a food source that definitely helps control body weight. And it is why so many people now are concerned with the increased use of high fructose corn syrup, a mixture of fructose and glucose (which is hidden in MANY foods, see list of foods supplied by) which has caused obesity rates to skyrocket in the United states. 

 SO, as a consumer, AND as someone interested in losing weight, what can YOU do to protect again the problems associated with fructose sugar in the diet?
 1) Be aware that because the body cannot process high fructose corn syrup the same way as it does other sugar, it can cause increased appetite and increased fat production..so limit sugar, particularly high fructose corn syrup.
2) Increase consumption of milk or milk products and water, both are effective at suppressing appetites and helping with weight loss.
3) Find alternates for sugary drinks.  Personal trainer Melissa likes adding sparkling water to grapefruit juice because she misses the fizz in soft drinks but she has given up all soda for the new year. "I only used to drink an occasional diet coke but now I drink water and milk and I feel GREAT plus it feels good to kick a bad habit" said Houston Personal trainer Melissa. 

Surprising things that have HFCS, stovetop stuffing's, Capri sun drinks, most sodas and bottled fruit juices, many breads and muffins particularly Sarah lee and Pepperidge farm, MOST Kellogg cereals, Ketchup, Miracle whip, Pop tarts, animal crackers, fig newton's, graham crackers, Nabisco cookies, Nutrigrain cereal bars, Robitussin and Vic's cough and cold products, cottage cheese with toppings, cool whip, pickles, applesauce and canned grapefruit, Ben and Jerry's and Dryers ice creams, and Oscar Meyer Lunchables. For a complete list check: http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2005/06/09/foods_and_products_containing_high_fruct
 
Or you can just try to avoid pre packaged foods and cook  home made meals that are prepared with healthy natural ingredients.

On another topic, Even though salads are usually a better choice for lunch, many people take what could be a healthy salad and ruin it by adding extras ..adding a half cup of cheese, a scoop of avocado, some bacon bits and some croutons can add 350 calories to a salad, and the salad dressing is usually almost a hundred calories a tablespoon so it is important to dillute dressing with water befor adding to salad. Carots and tomatoes and cucumbers and chick peas are great but adding marinated mushrooms or olives can add a lot of unnecessary calories. Also it is important to use a varitey of lettuce, not just iceberg lettuce...use spinach, romaine and other lettuces as well.