Nutritionists Slam Coca-Cola Funded Scientists Over Deceptive Soda Message
(COMMON DREAMS) Nadia Prupis — Coca-Cola is funding influential scientists pushing a message that diminishes the role of junk food and sweetened beverages in the obesity crisis—a partnership that has drawn the ire of nutritional experts since it was highlighted earlier this week.
The Global Energy Balance Network (GEBN) on Monday released a promotional video claiming that there is “no compelling evidence” that soft drinks or fast food contribute to Americans’ declining health, and that consumers should worry more about exercising than cutting calories to lose weight. In turn, media outlets swiftly highlighted that the GEBN lists the world’s largest producer of sugary sodas as one of its major financial backers.
That’s an association that, as nutrition professor Barry Popkin told the Guardianon Tuesday, exposes the GEBN as “merchants of doubt” akin to the scientists-for-hire who deny the harmful effects of tobacco.
“Essentially, Coke is following the strategy used by the tobacco industry as they tried to create doubt among the general public and also politicians. It was very effective in the fights to regulate cigarettes and we have learned from this that it is essential to address these attempts and uncover what they are very rapidly,” said Popkin, who teaches global nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
More concerning is the consensus among nutritional experts that sugary sodas not only contribute to the obesity epidemic—they’re a leading cause. As the Harvard University School of Public Health explains, sodas are more rightfully described as “liquid candy,” and that as sugary drink portion sizes have grown over the past 40 years, children and adults have all drastically increased their consumption.