http://arstechnica.co.uk/science/20...ealth-orgs-to-keep-profits-and-americans-fat/
The last 3 paragraphs of the article:
Despite such highly publicized examples of industry's meddling in health campaigns and policy, the new study by Aaron and Siegel is the first to try to capture the extent of the problem. The researchers sifted through financial disclosures on scientific literature, websites, and news reports, plus a database that tracks lobbying spending. The researchers wrote that their tally of 96 health organizations sponsored is likely an underestimate, given the potential for undisclosed funding plus the fact that they only looked for national—not state or local—health organizations.
Still, they conclude, the results show an extensive relationship between soda makers and health organizations, which have a lot of sway on policies and laws. “It is recommended that organizations find alternative sources of revenue in order to stop indirectly and inadvertently increasing soda consumption and causing substantial harm to Americans,” they conclude.
In 2009, the average American consumed 46 gallons of soda, giving the US the highest per capita consumption rate of the sugary beverages of any country. Meanwhile, about 38 percent of US adults and 17 percent of children are obese. Recent research has estimated that sugary drinks were responsible for a fifth of American’s weight gain.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.08.010 (About DOIs).
This post originated on Ars Technica
The last 3 paragraphs of the article:
Despite such highly publicized examples of industry's meddling in health campaigns and policy, the new study by Aaron and Siegel is the first to try to capture the extent of the problem. The researchers sifted through financial disclosures on scientific literature, websites, and news reports, plus a database that tracks lobbying spending. The researchers wrote that their tally of 96 health organizations sponsored is likely an underestimate, given the potential for undisclosed funding plus the fact that they only looked for national—not state or local—health organizations.
Still, they conclude, the results show an extensive relationship between soda makers and health organizations, which have a lot of sway on policies and laws. “It is recommended that organizations find alternative sources of revenue in order to stop indirectly and inadvertently increasing soda consumption and causing substantial harm to Americans,” they conclude.
In 2009, the average American consumed 46 gallons of soda, giving the US the highest per capita consumption rate of the sugary beverages of any country. Meanwhile, about 38 percent of US adults and 17 percent of children are obese. Recent research has estimated that sugary drinks were responsible for a fifth of American’s weight gain.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.08.010 (About DOIs).
This post originated on Ars Technica
