As growing concerns appear over the high caloric and sugar content in soft drinks (with California city Berkeley even approving a tax on these drinks because of how damaging they can be to the body), there's little surprise in seeing that Coca-Cola's health researchers are doing the best they can in giving the product a good name.
Over the past few years, as the obesity epidemic in the United States and other western countries has grown, consumers are becoming much more aware of what their intake is, prompting Coca-Cola health experts (the ones hired by the company to research the product's benefits) to release new information on the subject.
According to The New York Times, the latest Coca-Cola health statements have company researchers shifting the blame on the growing obesity epidemic from poor dieting choices to lack of exercise, as they ask consumers to become more active in their daily lives - of course, without drinking any less Coke.
Financial Review reports that Coca-Cola health experts are now putting forward a new message to fight obesity: the need to maintain healthy weight by getting more exercise, all while worrying less about the amount of calories consumed daily, with a bigger focus on becoming active.
This new health focus stems from the Global Energy Balance Network, often deemed the Coca-Cola health experts, as it's known that this nonprofit organization gets funding and logistical support from The Coca-Cola Company to spread their message, as they claim that calorie-watching Americans are obsessed over the wrong side of the spectrum.
"Most of the focus in the popular media and in the scientific press is, 'Oh they're eating too much, eating too much, eating too much' -- blaming fast food, blaming sugary drinks and so on," said Steven N. Blair, GEBN's vice president, in a recent video, according to International Business Times. "And there's really virtually no compelling evidence that that, in fact, is the cause."
Many news outlets and experts frown upon the Coca-Cola health statements, as there's an obvious motive behind these new claims considering who funds this "science-based" approach, while soft drinks sales drop with more conscious consumers.
