Coke and ethics issue

Upon hearing the news that the American Academy of Family Physicians is accepting a $500,000 grant from Coca-Cola (11/1, “The uneasy union of virtue and vice”), I couldn’t help but think of all the adults and children who will in the future develop obesity and diabetes.

You see, I am one of those adults now. I have enjoyed many of Coca-Cola’s products in my lifetime, and now that I am pushing 40 and 150 pounds overweight, I say no more. Some will say that it was my responsibility to limit the amount of soft drinks I consumed, and I agree.

However with the number of people developing diabetes at a record pace, not to mention our children are more overweight than ever, the American Academy of Family Physicians shows poor judgment in accepting this grant. By the way, I have not had a soft drink of any kind in 10 days, only water, and I’ve lost eight pounds. Coincidence?

Michael Evans

Kansas City

Comments

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Like the millions that Al Gore's cronies prifted by sueing the tobbacco industry because people that smoke were dumba$$es?
As for food, actually 10 of the most dnagerous foods are not fast food.
Lettuce is one, sprouts and eggs are on that list. How about humanity realizing we are not going to liv forever and we should be abl to choose what we eat without some fruity pebble telling us what we HAV to eat for our own good? If they are going to outlaw anything, outlaw deadbeat lawyers.

[hajkar]

Moral City USA wrote:

"A vice ceases to become harmful when the govt begins to profit."

How does the government profit from the AAFP receiving a grant from Coca-Cola?

[Stifled Freedom]

$500K is nothing. I would not be surprised of they have taken millions from tobacco companies....govt too.

A vice ceases to become harmful when the govt begins to profit.

[HC Brando]

A 12-ounce can of non-diet soda pop contains about 150 calories. That's slightly less than the same amount of orange juice and slightly more than the same amount of nonfat milk. A slice of bread contains about 90 calories.

If people are fat today, it's because we're two generations now growing up on video games instead of game games and spending 14 hours a day staring at a screen. (Keyboarding uses up about as many calories as knitting.)

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

What's worse are those individuals that take free lab coats to endorse a socialist and fascist piece of legislation that will increase the populatin of our debtors prisons, bankrupt small business and bankrupt the health care and insurance industry along with the ancillary enterprises that support it.

[jeanette]

Let's give a "shout out" for personal responsibility!

[JUNGLEJACK]

I choose to applaud the comments of denny, hajkar and kee.

Has anyone ever heard of diet sodas, juices and bottled water? All provided by those great Satans: the beverage industry.

Believe it or not, MANY thin people decide to drink soda and eat fast food. In moderation they are fine.

[Kee]

There is no whore like a reformed whore. "Now all I do is stand on this corner and beat this GD drum!" lol.

[hajkar]

Probably drinking Dasani water.

[Danny]

How freaking full of yourselves can you get? Soft drinks causing these problems IS A MYTH! Why do I say that? The existence of Coke has not caused one person to become obese. The person still has to consume the drink! And sodas in general, when consumed moderately, do not cause harm. And if you consume 10 a day, you will probably gain weight. That is a choice we make. I am overweight because I eat too much. No other entity is to blame, I eat too freaking much! And when I don't like it so much, I will do something about it. Just don't blame the corp or the doctors. OK so the doctors decline the money and can do less to help people. Yeah, that's real productive, only take money from perfect people. Of course, only you are perfect so it is unethical to accept a donation from anyone else.

[healthnwellness]

Michael, I applaud your comments about Vices and Virtues.

I agree that the physicians are wrong to accept the money. They are actually breaking their oath of "do no harm" as soft drinks are one of two leading causes of obesity, just behind fast food, but the two go hand in hand, don't they?! The lobby arms of the soft drink industry, the American Beverage Ass. lied before the NYState congress when they said "The link between soft drinks and obesity is a MYTH. And complete abstainence from soft drinks would have ZERO impact on public health".

LIE!

and you proved it so after just 10 days!

I lost 130 pounds doing exactly what you are embarking on, breaking my worst vices that were responsible for my excess weight--soft drinks being one of my worst!

You have lost the first 8 pounds of what will be many as you stick with "Vice Busting"!

I am going to be in KC in January (20-21) speaking at Green Acres. I will be speaking about my book, The Vice Busting Diet (endorsed by Oprah's drs OZ and Katz!!) Would love to have you attend my lecture and let me know how you are doing.

If I can help you in your journey, let me know, julia at juliahavey dot com