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Does anyone else find this creepy?

Crisseyda
Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
edited April 2016 in Debate Club
Has anyone else seen this on the soda fridges in stores?

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I've seen this "PSA" several times lately while out getting groceries, and I'm just creeped out. I looked it up... they've been funding research and trying to turn public opinion toward exercise as more important than diet in the current obesity epidemic. Since when do Coca Cola and Pepsi unite in concern over consumers' health?

Sorry, guys, but it's clear what you really care about: sales and PROFIT. If you get people to believe the myth that liquid sugar is just a few harmless "extra calories" they need to burn off (not that, for one thing, it independently raises one's risk of diabetes by 11 fold compared to an increase in calories from any other source), you can keep uneducated consumers buying and drinking. Please, just get your nose out of health, nutrition, and research. It's so unscrupulous.


http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0057873
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Replies

  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    Having gone to that website and actually looked at the campaign, they are advocating that you balance your intake with your normal expenditure, and not the other way around. Some of their suggestions are to eat lighter on days that you are less active, for example.

    It's true that profit drives them, but they also make a myriad of fitness products under the banner of their parent corporation, so they've got both ends of that spectrum covered.

  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    I haven't seen it. It's really ridiculous the lengths these companies go through to try to convince people sodas aren't unhealthy. I know they are terrible to drink, I still have one every week or two. But they will never convince me it's healthy or nutritionally neutral.

    I guess my reaction would be more eye roll than creepy. Unfortunately, some people believe their claims.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Not sure why it would be "creepy" given it's the premise on which MFP is based it's probably viewed as perfectly rational here.
  • minniestar55
    minniestar55 Posts: 350 Member
    Profit drives Adidas, Under Armour, Nike, Trader Joes, etc etc...companies & corporations seldon sincerely have anyone's health & well-being @ stake. Creepy? Not really. Sincere? I highly doubt it.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    There are and will always be plenty of products made to supply america's poor eating habits. Going after the manufacturer's or relying on them to mend their ways is pointless. It is going to take a lot of education to make people understand that the type of food and drink they consume will have a negative or positive effect. With the amount of people claiming disability due their own poor choices I am not sure education will show a significant return.
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    What gives me more a shudder than eye roll is the fact that Coca Cola attempted to secretly fund research to support their agenda that source of calories does not matter for weight loss, but instead that physical activity is more important. But that's not how honest scientific research works. You don't start the research already knowing what it's going to say...

    https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2015/12/03/anti-obesity-astroturfing-fails-coca-cola-and-junk-food-philanthropy/

    And now the insipid PSAs? It's too much.
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    edited April 2016
    The more active you are, the higher your TDEE, which makes it easier to fit treats/soda into your diet in moderation while still losing/maintaining your weight. Many people can easily have a serving of soda if they want and still hit their calorie and macro goals for the day.

    If someone chooses to over-consume anything, whether it's soda or smoked salmon, that's their choice.

    Of course Pepsi and Coca Cola are trying to make a profit - they're businesses. It's what businesses do! :smile:

    @Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Question for you, is 150 calories of soda per day overconsumption? about one can. Because that will increase your risk of diabetes 11 times versus another source of calories.
  • 100df
    100df Posts: 668 Member
    I don't think it's creepy. Seems like desperation.

    The only time I see soda presented positively is in commercials and by some MFP members. Not many health benefits I can think of. One of the best things I have done for myself is only drinking 1 small diet coke a day. I feel better not having it large quantities.
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    The "Shonky" Award they got was pretty darn funny:

    In a scientific revelation right up there with the discovery of penicillin, the GEBN website carefully explains that you gain weight when you take in more calories than you burn off, and vice-versa. The suggestion is that we shouldn’t stop gulping down cans of Coke, we should simply exercise more. So we had to take issue with the GEBN—in the form of a Shonky—which we think looks a lot like a fizzy font of self-serving pseudo-science.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    Okay "exercise is the answer" according to coke/pepsi. Now have them explain the RDA of sugar and one serving of their product, time to hit gym I guess.
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    The more active you are, the higher your TDEE, which makes it easier to fit treats/soda into your diet in moderation while still losing/maintaining your weight. Many people can easily have a serving of soda if they want and still hit their calorie and macro goals for the day.

    If someone chooses to over-consume anything, whether it's soda or smoked salmon, that's their choice.

    Of course Pepsi and Coca Cola are trying to make a profit - they're businesses. It's what businesses do! :smile:

    Question for you, is 150 calories of soda per day overconsumption? about one can. Because that will increase your risk of diabetes 11 times versus another source of calories.

    Can you please provide a source for this?

    Since Mayo Clinic doesn't even list soda consumption as a risk factor for T2DM (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/basics/risk-factors/con-20033091), I find it hard to believe that someone at a healthy weight, living an active lifestyle, with a balanced diet and no family history of diabetes would be put more at risk by having 150 calories of soda from time to time.

    The source is in the very first post of my discussion.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    edited April 2016
    That link states 150 calorie increase in sugar, not 150 calories of soda. Soda was used as an approximate reference.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    I see corporate signage, its everywhere

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5XgyxWfUJ7MgzmBc3G8qkwBXJWmpXFSg2AAxkbPmDQsStTfcn
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    edited April 2016
    That link states 150 calorie increase in sugar, not 150 calories of soda. Soda was used as an approximate reference.

    You're implying there is a difference between 150 calories of sugar and 150 calories of soda?
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    That link states 150 calorie increase in sugar, not 150 calories of soda. Soda was used as an approximate reference.

    You're implying there is a difference between 150 calories of sugar and 150 calories of soda?

    Sorry, no. I didn't type that properly. I was trying to make the point that Bane made about the study looking at the availability of sugar, not a consumption of 1 can of soda. I worded it poorly. My bad.
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    edited April 2016
    What gives me more a shudder than eye roll is the fact that Coca Cola attempted to secretly fund research to support their agenda that source of calories does not matter for weight loss, but instead that physical activity is more important. But that's not how honest scientific research works. You don't start the research already knowing what it's going to say...

    https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2015/12/03/anti-obesity-astroturfing-fails-coca-cola-and-junk-food-philanthropy/

    And now the insipid PSAs? It's too much.

    Everyone funds studies to promote their own product. Like minniestar55 above said, it's not that Nike really has your health and best interest in mind. They just want to sell you more products. I mean, Coca Cola also sells bottled water, but we don't question studies telling us to stay hydrated. Big corn conglomerates will fund studies saying ethanol is somehow "better" than regular gasoline. Is a car company advertising how fuel efficient their vehicles are the same level of creepiness? It's a pretty similar premise. Or Chevron trying to tell you how clean/efficient their fuel is. There are plenty of fat/unhealthy people out there who don't drink soda, it's not the only contributor to obesity. Also, I think we can all agree being more active would be beneficial to society. There are studies showing sitting too much is bad for you, or that those with diabetes and other conditions who add in walking are healthier than those that don't.

    I can't make you see what they did was clearly wrong and a conflict of interest (also why did they try to hide their involvement in funding the research?), but they did get a "Shonky" award and the fake "nonprofit" promptly closed. But hey, if everyone does it, it must be ok, right? That's logical.
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    The more active you are, the higher your TDEE, which makes it easier to fit treats/soda into your diet in moderation while still losing/maintaining your weight. Many people can easily have a serving of soda if they want and still hit their calorie and macro goals for the day.

    If someone chooses to over-consume anything, whether it's soda or smoked salmon, that's their choice.

    Of course Pepsi and Coca Cola are trying to make a profit - they're businesses. It's what businesses do! :smile:

    Question for you, is 150 calories of soda per day overconsumption? about one can. Because that will increase your risk of diabetes 11 times versus another source of calories.

    Can you please provide a source for this?

    Since Mayo Clinic doesn't even list soda consumption as a risk factor for T2DM (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/basics/risk-factors/con-20033091), I find it hard to believe that someone at a healthy weight, living an active lifestyle, with a balanced diet and no family history of diabetes would be put more at risk by having 150 calories of soda from time to time.

    I don't think the things Mayo Clinic includes under dietary factors is intended to be an exhaustive list.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    RobD520 wrote: »
    The more active you are, the higher your TDEE, which makes it easier to fit treats/soda into your diet in moderation while still losing/maintaining your weight. Many people can easily have a serving of soda if they want and still hit their calorie and macro goals for the day.

    If someone chooses to over-consume anything, whether it's soda or smoked salmon, that's their choice.

    Of course Pepsi and Coca Cola are trying to make a profit - they're businesses. It's what businesses do! :smile:

    Question for you, is 150 calories of soda per day overconsumption? about one can. Because that will increase your risk of diabetes 11 times versus another source of calories.

    Can you please provide a source for this?

    Since Mayo Clinic doesn't even list soda consumption as a risk factor for T2DM (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/basics/risk-factors/con-20033091), I find it hard to believe that someone at a healthy weight, living an active lifestyle, with a balanced diet and no family history of diabetes would be put more at risk by having 150 calories of soda from time to time.

    I don't think the things Mayo Clinic includes under dietary factors is intended to be an exhaustive list.

    My point was the other risk factors - overweight, sedentary, family history, high cholesterol/triglycerides, hypertension, ethnicity - play a larger part than consuming soda/sugar in moderate amounts.

    You have to look at the context of someone's diet and lifestyle as a whole. You can blame one thing.

    But it's a lot easier to demonize a particular food than it is to look at the context in which people actually become obese.

    Full calorie soda consumption is falling in America. If soda caused obesity, we'd be seeing a corresponding rate of weight loss. Spoiler alert . . .

    Agree.
  • Crisseyda
    Crisseyda Posts: 532 Member
    edited April 2016
    That link states 150 calorie increase in sugar, not 150 calories of soda. Soda was used as an approximate reference.

    You're implying there is a difference between 150 calories of sugar and 150 calories of soda?

    Sorry, no. I didn't type that properly. I was trying to make the point that Bane made about the study looking at the availability of sugar, not a consumption of 1 can of soda. I worded it poorly. My bad.

    Yes, They looked at sugar availability, not sugar consumption, and still found a statistically significant variation in diabetes rates independent of other food types (including fibers, meats, fruits, oils, cereals), total calories, overweight and obesity, period-effects, and several socioeconomic variables such as aging, urbanization and income. Sounds pretty impressive to me, but I guess they made big mistake there. If only someone had just told them! Doh.
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