health

Coca-Cola not to blame for U.S. obesity: CEO

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© 2012 AFP

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Coca-Cola working with governments to encourage life styles. Just as duplicitous as cigarette companies sponsoring sports events.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

The mayor is being hypocritical yet again. He used to smoke and went on to harass smokers, and now this, while promoting the annual hotdog eating competition. Unbelievable.... Do as i say and not as i do...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Kudos to Bloomberg!

The US led the way in popularising high profit, low value carbonated syrups and barely regulated, additive-laden processed foods. It's only fitting that a backlash (finally) comes from America too.

Less science and more real food, please.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Not "only" to blame but largely to blame!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The mayor didn't single out just Coca Cola, don't know why the CEO got his feathers all ruffled up about it. It is nice for a change to have someone at least attempt to send a message that all these artificial and sugary drinks are contributing to the demise of all American people addicted to junk food. Hot dogs certainly have more nutrional value than a bottle of coke hands down, so not a valid argument. Thank god that Japan has not been corrupted yet by all this fast food industry like the states and japan still has many choices for a healthy real diet.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

There's so much misplaced finger pointing in the States when it comes to figuring out why the population is so obese.

Sugar is to blame!

Fatty foods are to blame!

High fructose corn syrup is to blame!

The list goes on and on. Although these may contribute to obesity to a lesser degree, I think there are two main reasons Americans are obese.

1) Lack of education.

For the most part, too many calories = you gain weight; too few calories = you lose weight. People don't know how many calories their bodies require nor do they know how many calories they gain through food and lose through exercise.

2) Lack of shame.

In Japan, it's pretty shameful to be fat (and this is the one example in which ijime helps society). In the States, there's the mistaken sentiment that people's bodies are beautiful regardless of size or shape. As such, you have people actually flaunting their overweight bodies. The more you see it, the more acceptable it becomes.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Going back to the US for the first time in seven years. I wonder what I will see. What will the shape of the "bodies" be? Will let JT know. Somehow, I fear the worst. And, yeah, I rigorously work out at a local fine sport club to avoid the USA/fat syndrome.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

“It is, I believe, incorrect and unjust to put the blame on any single ingredient, any single product, any single category of food,”

It's not the food or drink that is responsible it is PERSONAL CHOICE that is responsible for the fat epidemic. It is unfair to single out one brand, Coca-cola for example when there are hundreds of manufactures of fat causing products. Coca-Cola has been around more than 100 years, why are they just now a problem? Pepsi products are just as popular and typically contain more sugars per serving, why aren't they being picked on? It's poor personal choice not the product.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Sugar is to blame!

Fatty foods are to blame!

High fructose corn syrup is to blame!

NOT!!! Its the people that chose to ingest it that are to blame! Lets let the blame lie where iot belongs, Please!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

the_sheriff, I would add as 3, the availability of clothing no matter how big you get.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

the_sheriff, I would add as 3, the availability of clothing no matter how big you get.

Ha ha, agreed.

NOT!!! Its the people that chose to ingest it that are to blame! Lets let the blame lie where iot belongs, Please!

We're saying the same thing. I was mocking people who use those battle cries as an excuse. But the fact of the matter is that many seemingly innocuous foods contain "hidden" sugars and fats, which contribute to obesity. That's why I say that people need to educate themselves on their caloric requirements and how many calories are going in and out of their bodies.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Patricia Yarrow, my observation is that fat people in the US have gotten significantly fatter and more people are now overweight over the last 7 years.

interestingly enough, the same thing applies here in Japan. Over that same time period, i have noticed the number of overweight/obese people increase markedly here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My school classmate started his mornings with one or two Cokes at the breakfast table. The drinks never did hurt him. He never got fat and he never had health problems from drinking Coca-Cola regularly over the years. What did him in was smoking. He died a couple of years ago with severely damaged lungs ... caused by heavy smoking. And, believe it or not, he died with all his teeth intact. He never even needed a filling. Didn't know what the dentist's drill felt like.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It starts with education, but the problem with the U.S. is will power to eat healthy and the availability and media of junk food is prevalent in the US and not helping. I mean a typical downtown street in Cali, fast food is everywhere. So i think people need to get in people's faces like Jamie's revolution and attack at the source like these big corporations. If you have a big gulp in front of you, people drink it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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