For years now, the soda and fast food[1] industry, blamed for rising obesity rates in the U.S., have been battling an image problem. Will promoting healthy lifestyles redeem them?
Social responsibility campaigns are nothing new to corporations especially those whose actions or products dont exactly promote admirable or healthy goals (think liquor companies that admonish their consumers to drink responsibly or tobacco companies that fund programs to fight poverty and hunger.) But do these tactics work? Can doing good offset the negative impact that sugared sodas or calorie-dense processed foods, for example, have on the national waistline?
While perusing the slate of studies released this week, I came across research on how healthy eating improves dieters self control[2]. It was funded by The Coca-Cola[3] Company. On their face, the results were interesting seeing, smelling and eating healthy food can reinforce the appeal of these foods and help dieters to lower the number of calories they take in. But should the fact that Coca-Cola sponsored the study color the results in some way? That led me to think about the heavy rotation of ads on television and on billboards Ive been seeing recently of active people outside, enjoying a Coke or a bag of Lays which seemed incongruous, if not hypocritical.
Not surprisingly, soda and fast food companies like to depict healthy, vibrant people who are slim and active and enjoying their products. And in doing so, they are sending the subtle message that if consumers gain weight, its not the beverage makers fault, for example, but the drinkers fault for not being more physically active. In 2012, Andrew Cheyne, a researcher at the Berkeley Media Studies Group in California published an editorial[4] in PLoS Medicine arguing that such social responsibility campaigns and advertising are effective ways of diverting and shifting responsibility away from corporations that make sugared beverages. While Pepsi committed $20 million in 2010 to consumer-voted projects such as refurbishing parks and reinvigorating local arts programs, it allowed voters who purchased specially marked cans of soda more voting power. Likewise, a healthy living educational initiative sponsored by Coca-Cola was advertised on smaller-sized containers of its best-selling product.
(MORE: Study: How Soda Companies Social Responsibility Campaigns Are Harming Your Health[5])
These corporate social responsibility methods shift the emphasis from the product and practices of the industry onto individual consumers themselves, says Cheyne. This is important because we know from other industries like Big Tobacco and oil that corporate responsibility tactics like funding campaigns and studies creates the impression they are acting responsibly and there is not a need for government or public intervention. Take Cokes Together for Good[6] campaign released this year, which suggests that the company is taking the problem of obesity seriously by making calorie counts visible, using zero-calorie sweeteners and offering smaller-sized servings. Cheyne says a closer look at its message shows, however, that the company is sidestepping its role in producing high-calorie products and focuses instead on how obesity is an individuals responsibility, resulting from a mismatch between the calories coming in via proper diet, and the calories going out through exercise.
Marion Nestle, a a nutrition professor at New York University and the author of Food Politics, tracks the various obesity-related campaigns Coca-Cola pushes. The company bought full page ads in the New York Times[7] to promote its commitment to fight obesity, but Nestle says its claims fall flat, calling it a publicity ploy. Coke promises to get people moving, [but] divert[s] attention from the caloric effects of sodas, she writes.
Industry groups also make some dramatic claims about the positive impact their social responsibility campaigns are having, but when it comes to lowering obesity rates and improving peoples health, Kantha Shelke, a food scientist at Corvus Blue LLC and spokesperson for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) says the evidence is relatively thin. In May, for example, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, a national CEO-led organization that aims to reduce obesity in the U.S., announced[8] that its member companies, including Coca Cola, exceeded their stated goal of reducing some 1.5 trillion calories in the marketplace in the US. The Foundation credits offering healthier, lower calorie options with accomplishing this goal, but that doesnt seem to have translated into a drop in obesity rates, Shelke points out.
The only way Coke can really help address obesity and poor diets is to sell less sodathe one thing its stockholders will not allow. And the company is doing everything it can to fight city and state soda taxes, portion size caps, or anything else that might reduce sales, says Shelke. In the 200-plus countries where Coca-Cola advertises, it promises to offer low or no-calorie drinks in every market, but the advertising appears to be largely focused on the sugar-laden drinks. They say they will provide transparent nutrition information, listing calories on the front of all packages, but consumers continue to be confused because Coca-Cola declares the nutritional info on a per serving basis, and most people consume the entire can, which is incidentally not re-closeable. Such a move does not seem transparent to me.
(MORE: The New York City Soda Ban, and a Brief History of Bloombergs Nudges[9])
The beverage industry, however, maintains that it does give consumers all the information they need to make educated and healthy eating choices. The American Beverage Association partnered with former President Bill Clinton[10] and the American Heart Association in 2005 to remove full-calorie soft drinks out of schools and replace them with healthier choices such as water and milk, which has cut the total number of beverage calories available in schools by 90%. Theyve also added calorie labels to drinks and reminder messages on vending machines for consumers to check the calories on their beverage of choice.
Still, the fact remains that soda companies sell a product that is in direct conflict with anti-obesity initiatives. So are their do-good efforts worth doing? Nutrition experts are divided over whether these forays into socially responsible programs, or healthy eating campaigns, are helping people, or whether they simply whitewash the bigger harms the products are generating in the form of obesity and chronic diseases. There is the group of nutritionists and physicians who prefer to work with, rather than against, the military industrial establishment, and embrace all efforts by large industry elements to be part of the solution, says Dr. David Katz, the director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. Keri Gans, a registered dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet, applauds the soda companies for their efforts. It is a very positive step on their behalf for consumers by educating them on healthy eating. Soda is a choice. The same way a person has a choice to eat fruits and vegetables. Not everyone eats them, even though we know its good for us, she says.
At the other end of the spectrum are those who hold these companies responsible for the obesity epidemic, and find it hard to see any effort on their part to promote healthy messages as anything but hypocritical.
And there are those who see a practical need to make the most of the system we have. I am something of a centrist, Katz says of his own view of industry-sponsored ads and campaigns. I refer to myself as a public health pragmatist. I dont believe we should make perfect the enemy of the good, but I dont think we should all fawn over lipstick on a pig, either.
So when it comes to addressing obesity, what should these companies do? Clearly, they cant just declare themselves the bad guy and commit ceremonial corporate suicide. So, they either need to acknowledge, or ignore the problem; acknowledging the problem is better, says Katz. Having the company recognize that it is part of the issuealong with the publics recognition of the part it plays in choosing to drink their productscan be positive. For example, Shelke says companies like Coca-Cola could have a bigger impact on obesity rates if it educated consumers on how sugar, as an occasional treat, can be part of a healthy lifestyle. Traditionally, corporations would have no reason to play a role in how consumers choose to use their products, but finding more ways of working with the public and with nutritionists about consuming foods and beverages in appropriate amounts could help the food industry promote better eating habits without jeopardizing their business.
Soda is a business[A]nd they have the financial ability to actually help consumers. says Gans. Its just a matter of promoting the right messages.
References
- ^ fast food (topics.time.com)
- ^ healthy eating improves dieters’ self control (www.ssib.org)
- ^ Coca-Cola (topics.time.com)
- ^ published an editorial (healthland.time.com)
- ^ Study: How Soda Companies Social Responsibility Campaigns Are Harming Your Health (healthland.time.com)
- ^ Together for Good (www.coca-colacompany.com)
- ^ full page ads taken out in the New York Times (www.foodpolitics.com)
- ^ announced (www.healthyweightcommit.org)
- ^ The New York City Soda Ban, and a Brief History of Bloombergs Nudges (healthland.time.com)
- ^ Bill Clinton (topics.time.com)
Resources:
Be Well On Your Way: Journey to a More Authentic You (Paperback) tagged “healthy lifestyle” 88 times
Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:25:58 GMT
Be Well On Your Way: Journey to a More Authentic You (Paperback)By Maiysha T Clairborne MD Click for more info Customer Rating:
Be Well On Your Way: Journey to a More Authentic You (Paperback)By Maiysha T Clairborne MD Click for more info Customer Rating: 
Customer tags: mind body spirit(90), self-help(90), empowerment(89), personal growth(88), healthy lifestyle(88), health(88), healthy living(85), healthy life(85), personal development(81), relationships(79), self esteem(35), self-improvement(35) Life On Your Terms: 7 Steps To a More Empowered You (Paperback) tagged “healthy lifestyle” 88 times
Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:27:19 GMT
Life On Your Terms: 7 Steps To a More Empowered You (Paperback)By Maiysha T Clairborne MD Click for more info Customer Rating: 
Customer tags: self-help(91), empowerment(89), health(89), healthy living(88), healthy lifestyle(88), healthy life(87), personal development(86), mind body spirit(86), personal growth(84), relationships(81), self-improvement(41), self esteem(40) IronKids triathlon promotes healthy lifestyle | TheGazette
Editor's note: Here is your chance to tell your story about your team, your school or your favorite player. If you'd like to join The Gazette's growing. http://thegazette.com/2013/07/26/ironkids-triathlon-promotes-healthy-lifestyle/
Highmark Foundation Helps Children and Families Become Healthy …
It's not often a day goes by that we don't hear or read about the benefits of a nutritious diet and exercise (and the risks of an unhealthy lifestyle). But in reality, not every person has the tools they need to achieve a healthier … http://www.hfi-pgh.org/highmark-foundation-helps-children-and-families-become-healthy-for-life/
The Dorm Room Diet : The 10-Step Program for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle…
2013-07-27T00:06:47.000Z
End Date: Friday Aug-2-2013 17:05:46 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
NEW Bragg Healthy Lifestyle – Bragg, Patricia
2013-05-09T18:39:18.000Z
End Date: Wednesday Aug-7-2013 11:44:18 PDT
Buy It Now for only: $6.90
Buy It Now | Add to watch list
You Can Help Your Child Get More Exercise By Following These 5 Tips
Does your child get enough exercise? You can get your children more active with these 5 fun parenting tips.
Better Health in Four Steps
In just four steps, you can improve your health for the better and this article will show you how. The steps below are bite-sized nuggets of health information you can actually use to live a healthy life. Here we go… Nutritional supplements are the first step As far as I’m concerned, they are very important […]
Top 4 Nutrition Predictions in the New Year
Several food and nutrition trends were in the spotlight this year, including the continued rise of plant-based diets, non-dairy ice creams and superfoods that are blasts from the past — legumes, apples and cabbage. It can be easy to experience nutrition whiplash in the New Year, but don’t be a victim. Get a jump-start on […]
Want to lose weight? Research proves a big breakfast is the first step
If you want to lose weight, you’re not alone. More than half of Americans desire to shed pounds, according to Gallup. This goal inspires people to take action in many ways, from increasing exercise to modifying meals. One thing many people do is skip breakfast in order to lower calorie intake. While this may seem […]
How The Computer Is Supporting Us In Our Healthy Lifestyle? How do computer helps people in their healthy lifestyle? How can The computer help people? Is it from websites? advertisements? I need it really badly. How can the computer is supporting to improve our healthy lifestyle. in what ways? How can computer promote the quality of healthy lifestyle. How can computer convince people to stop unnecessary things like drugs or alcohol? How can computer HELP us?
AT least 6-8 points would do. thank you.
The computer is not a healthy lifestyle for people. It programs us to thinking we can find everything on here. Jobs, pay bills, shop, everything! We can do that ourselves and it seems technology is taking the chores away from us, that can be easily done by human themself. The computer can help us though when we need to find information, imformation fast. Websites help us retain information, advertisements are just like commericals there just trying to sell or maniupulate us to buy whatever their advertising. The computer is not improving our healthy lifestyle. Peoples eyes can go out of sight and hurt very badly(like mine and i’m only 15 years old.) from years and years staring at the computer. The worst thing to stare at is a computer screen — I don’t know why I still do it for hours at end, but I do. The computer will never promote the quality of healthy lifestyle, its just not possible. The computer can convince people to stop drugs and alcohol but if you think about it would you rather have an obsession over the computer for hours at the day, you have to be near the computer you have to be on it then doing drugs or alcohol? The computer is just as bad addiction as alcohol and drugs. The computer cannot HELP us other then give us fast information when we need it. The computer although has so much information and so many untrusted sites you never know if what your reading is a lie. And I hope I get 10 points because I just wasted my time answering this long question, I hope you weren’t just asking this for the heck of this — I hope it was for some essay lol.
Take care bye
How Can I Keep Up My Healthy Lifestyle Over Easter? I have been trying to keep a healthy lifestyle, build fitness and lose a little fat. But I am surrounded by Easter treats, mum has been baking loads, have Easter eggs from family and my bf wants to get me an Easter egg too. Don’t get me wrong, I love how sweet everyone is being, but all of this will just make me I’ll. What should I do?
If you’d like me to be honest, I think that the healthiest lifestyles include enjoying things. So every now and then, let go of the fact that “something will make me fat” and enjoy it. I think that often as people we give up a large part of living just to stay skinny. I used to be that way, and as much as I told myself it was worth it, it really wasn’t. Enjoy it, and don’t go on a guilt trip over it.
That being said, there are several things you can do to avoid extra treats. Stay away from the kitchen as much as possible, as well as where things are being served. When you get things, get just a small bit. I’ve noticed that with a lot of sweetbreads and cakes and such, a very thin slice takes just as long to eat as a thick one and is usually just as satisfying. If not, you can even get a second (which, sliced thinly enough, is still smaller than the thick slices would be). Another trick I’ve learned is “sharing”–if it is a roll or whatever, just eat half of it and “share” the other half with someone else (maybe someone else who either just wants half, or someone who wants more than one).
Enjoy Easter!
How Do You Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle? Please comment on your suggestions to maintain a healthy lifestyle, add any concerns or issues you have concerning you’re healt, and i’ll be happy to educate you further.
I eat healthy – vegetables, fruit, lots of water, minimal sugar consumption, etc.
I don’t smoke.
I don’t drink in excess.
I don’t do drugs.
I exercise at least twice a week.
I try to get enough sleep every night (minimum of 7 hours).
How Do You Stay Commited To Your Healthy Lifestyle? I’m trying have a healthy lifestyle and lose weight but i’m finding it hard to commit.
Are you sure you want to lose weight? If this a true desire, give it two weeks, and then asses how you feel. If you are eating healthy and exercises you will feel the difference, then if you go back to living unhealthfully you will be able to tell the change in how you feel, then you should be able to make an easy desicion.