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Have Your Coke and Guzzle It Too
The world’s largest purveyor of sugary sodas now peddles empty-calorie science too.
Sep 05, 2015
Good news about obesity: A new scientific organization is coming to grips with this bulging national problem.
Called the Global Energy Balance Network, it comes at obesity from a unique perspective. According to them, the key to controlling one's weight isn't cutting back on calorie consumption, but committing to a regular program of exercise.
Great, huh? You can literally have your cake and eat it, too.
Before you swallow the group's approach, however, note that nearly all scientists on the obesity beat say the opposite: Exercise is a minimal contributor to weight loss compared to putting fewer calories in the tank.
So who's behind the contrarian new group? Coca-Cola.
Yes, the Global Energy Balance Network was created and is financed by the world's leading purveyor of sugary sodas. So Coke is now also the leading purveyor of empty-calorie "science," trying to convince us that its bottled obesity bombs have no bad effects on human health.
The corporate giant's latest scientific fraud is prompted by corporate panic. Sales of full-calorie sodas have plummeted by 25 percent in the past two decades as public health campaigns have ratcheted up to warn of cola's dangers.
Consequently, obesity rates, especially for young children, are way down -- and Coca-Cola now lists "obesity concerns" as the No. 1 threat to its business.
The choice between your health and the health of their corporate profits is an easy decision for Coke's top executives. So they're trying this trick play to shift the obesity blame from their calories to your lack of exercise.
Next, they'll be promoting the Coca-Cola "workout plan": Do several repetitions of 12-ounce elbow bends each day with cans of Coca-Cola, and keep your heart strong by briskly striding from the couch to the fridge to grab each can.
Remember, every repetition adds up.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
This column was distributed by OtherWords.
Jim Hightower
Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the books "Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow" (2008) and "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos: A Work of Political Subversion" (1998). Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
Good news about obesity: A new scientific organization is coming to grips with this bulging national problem.
Called the Global Energy Balance Network, it comes at obesity from a unique perspective. According to them, the key to controlling one's weight isn't cutting back on calorie consumption, but committing to a regular program of exercise.
Great, huh? You can literally have your cake and eat it, too.
Before you swallow the group's approach, however, note that nearly all scientists on the obesity beat say the opposite: Exercise is a minimal contributor to weight loss compared to putting fewer calories in the tank.
So who's behind the contrarian new group? Coca-Cola.
Yes, the Global Energy Balance Network was created and is financed by the world's leading purveyor of sugary sodas. So Coke is now also the leading purveyor of empty-calorie "science," trying to convince us that its bottled obesity bombs have no bad effects on human health.
The corporate giant's latest scientific fraud is prompted by corporate panic. Sales of full-calorie sodas have plummeted by 25 percent in the past two decades as public health campaigns have ratcheted up to warn of cola's dangers.
Consequently, obesity rates, especially for young children, are way down -- and Coca-Cola now lists "obesity concerns" as the No. 1 threat to its business.
The choice between your health and the health of their corporate profits is an easy decision for Coke's top executives. So they're trying this trick play to shift the obesity blame from their calories to your lack of exercise.
Next, they'll be promoting the Coca-Cola "workout plan": Do several repetitions of 12-ounce elbow bends each day with cans of Coca-Cola, and keep your heart strong by briskly striding from the couch to the fridge to grab each can.
Remember, every repetition adds up.
Jim Hightower
Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the books "Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow" (2008) and "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos: A Work of Political Subversion" (1998). Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
Good news about obesity: A new scientific organization is coming to grips with this bulging national problem.
Called the Global Energy Balance Network, it comes at obesity from a unique perspective. According to them, the key to controlling one's weight isn't cutting back on calorie consumption, but committing to a regular program of exercise.
Great, huh? You can literally have your cake and eat it, too.
Before you swallow the group's approach, however, note that nearly all scientists on the obesity beat say the opposite: Exercise is a minimal contributor to weight loss compared to putting fewer calories in the tank.
So who's behind the contrarian new group? Coca-Cola.
Yes, the Global Energy Balance Network was created and is financed by the world's leading purveyor of sugary sodas. So Coke is now also the leading purveyor of empty-calorie "science," trying to convince us that its bottled obesity bombs have no bad effects on human health.
The corporate giant's latest scientific fraud is prompted by corporate panic. Sales of full-calorie sodas have plummeted by 25 percent in the past two decades as public health campaigns have ratcheted up to warn of cola's dangers.
Consequently, obesity rates, especially for young children, are way down -- and Coca-Cola now lists "obesity concerns" as the No. 1 threat to its business.
The choice between your health and the health of their corporate profits is an easy decision for Coke's top executives. So they're trying this trick play to shift the obesity blame from their calories to your lack of exercise.
Next, they'll be promoting the Coca-Cola "workout plan": Do several repetitions of 12-ounce elbow bends each day with cans of Coca-Cola, and keep your heart strong by briskly striding from the couch to the fridge to grab each can.
Remember, every repetition adds up.
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