Soft drinks should be targeted like tobacco with consumer warning labels that spell out the risk of obesity and other maladies, American advocates of a war on soda say.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest brought together health professionals other experts this week to plot a strategy to turn around public attitudes toward the sugary drinks.
"This is about transparency, telling the truth about these products and let the consumers decide by themselves," said Harold Goldstein, one of the dozens of doctors and other experts who attended the "Soda Summit" Wednesday and Thursday.
At a news conference, Goldstein called for passage of a bill requiring warning labels to be affixed to sugary drink containers.
The bill already passed the state senate in California at the end of May, and once Governor Jerry Brown signs it, the state will become the first to adopt the rule.
The language is similar to warning labels for cigarettes: "Drinking beverages with added sugar contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay."
"Give people the information at least," said Goldstein. "Once they have the information, then they will be ready for more."
Goldstein and others at the conference, however, stressed that combating consumption of sugary drinks will require multiple approaches.
Winning the war
Conference participants noted that New York City is asking a state appeals court to reinstate its ban on sales of sugary drinks of more than 16 ounces in restaurants and movie theaters.
To dramatize the amount of sugar that goes into soft drinks, tables at the conference were covered with soda bottles, along with their equivalent in powdered sugar. So an ordinary 20 ounce bottle would contain the equivalent of 16 teaspoons of sugar and 240 calories.
Besides contributing to weight gain and obesity, heavy consumption of drinks with added sugar like sodas, energy drinks, and sugary fruit juices is the direct cause of serious illnesses.
Kimber Stanhope, a biologist at the University of California, Davis, showed how sugars lead directly to fattening of the liver which leads to metabolic diseases, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
If the current levels of consumption do not change, 33 percent of boys and 38 percent of girls born in 2000 will develop diabetes or pre-diabetes, projections that rise to 50 percent in the case of African American and Hispanic populations, according to conference organizers.
Still, anti-soda activists are optimistic that they are winning the soda war.
"The signs of early victories in this war are that soda consumption, particularly consumption of sugar sweetened sodas, is down significantly" from a peak in 1998, said Jim Krieger, an organizer. "People are getting the message."
Annual US consumption has dropped from 55 gallons to 44 gallons, a 17 percent decline, and water consumption has increased 38 percent over that period.
AFP
Fri Jun 06 2014
![Warning labels for soda cans soon? Warning labels for soda cans soon?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-06/41402048532_295x200.jpg)
TRANSPARENCY: Just like tobacco, consumers should be warned of the risks when consuming sugary drinks via warning labels on the products.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp
Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang Negara (PAC) memberi tempoh tiga bulan kepada Perbadanan Pembangunan Sumber Manusia (HRD Corp) untuk mengemukakan laporan tindakan susulan terhadap syor jawatankuasa itu.
Kylian Mbappe tandatangan kontrak dengan Real Madrid
Bintang bola sepak Perancis Kylian Mbappe menandatangani kontrak selama lima tahun dengan kelab Sepanyol Real Madrid pada Selasa.
Pelepasan ketujuh air sisa nuklear Fukushima ke laut selesai
Jepun telah menyelesaikan pusingan ketujuh pelepasan air sisa radioaktif yang dirawat dari loji kuasa nuklear Fukushima Daiichi ke Lautan Pasifik pada Selasa.
Empat termasuk kapten maut dalam pertempuran
Empat anggota tentera India termasuk kapten meninggal dunia akibat kecederaan selepas pertempuuran pada malam isnin di Hutan Desa.
Pakistan sahkan 4 warganya terbunuh di Oman
Pakistan berkata pada Selasa empat warganya terbunuh dalam insiden tembakan pada malam Isnin berhampiran ibu negara Oman, Muscat.
Lima terbunuh, puluhan cedera dalam protes antikuota di Bangladesh
Sekurang-kurangnya empat orang terbunuh dan puluhan lagi cedera dalam pertempuran antara pelajar yang memprotes sistem kuota dalam pekerjaan sektor awam dan polis di pelbagai bahagian Bangladesh pada Selasa.
Kerajaan cadang perkenal pembiayaan swasta
Kerajaan menyasarkan untuk memperkenalkan pembiayaan swasta alternatif bagi memastikan kemampanan kewangan program sektor air, sekali gus mengurangkan kebergantungan pada perbelanjaan kerajaan dan mengukuhkan daya tahan.
Saya tak fitnah Guan Eng, cuma jelaskan siasatan SPRM - Muhyiddin
Presiden Bersatu Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin memberitahu Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur hari ini bahawa beliau tidak memfitnah Lim Guan Eng berhubung isu pengecualian cukai terhadap Yayasan Albukhary
KPT alu-alukan dapatan, cadangan PAC - Zambry
Ini termasuklah cadangan pelaksanaan Garis Panduan Pelaburan dan Pembiayaan oleh Universiti Awam 2024 kepada anak-anak syarikat di bawah seliaan Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT).