Coca-Cola CEO: We Didn't Make America Fat

Wall Street Journal:

Obesity is a complex issue, and addressing it is important for all Americans. We at the Coca-Cola company are committed to working with government and health organizations to implement effective solutions to address this problem.

Read the whole story: Wall Street Journal

Comments

[iScan]

06:37 PM on 10/09/2009

freedom*

*Use at your own risk

[RightWingMarine]

01:54 PM on 10/09/2009

everything he said is true. If you want to point your finger and blame someone for you being fat go stand in front of a mirror.

Why should taxes go up on a product I enjoy to discourage you from drinking it? It is not the govts responsibility to step in for your lack of willpower.

[Hieroglyph83]

10:45 AM on 10/09/2009

Soda companies are on the defensive and they are scared. This is good "grin"

[sc300nc]

09:15 AM on 10/09/2009

It's always someone else's fault. You are fat because of Coke or McDonalds, or Ben and Jerry's, etc etc etc.

The reason you are fat is that you overconsume fat and sugar laden foods and under exercise. It's your body, your life, your responsibility.

[RightWingMarine]

01:50 PM on 10/09/2009

you'll get nowhere with that kind of logic here. Many HuffPo readers not only believe they know what is best for everyone else but believe we should meekly submit to their direction.

[thundermummy]

02:14 PM on 10/09/2009

True. But how about instead of taxing soda we stop subsidizing corn syrup with tax payers dollars. Why should Coke get cheap corn syrup on the back of the American taxpayer?

[RightWingMarine]

02:18 PM on 10/09/2009

valid point. I believe we should end all subsidies. The American people are not better served by having higher food prices.

[BlackYowe]

03:30 AM on 10/09/2009

Yes you did with the help of Pepsi.

[Calinative]

12:48 AM on 10/09/2009

I really wish they would use real sugar and cut out the HFCS. Coke with real sugar is so much better.
The HFCS is making people fat, but it might take lifting the embargo on Cuba to get the real sugar back.

[dayala]

10:08 AM on 10/09/2009

exactly, I remember when Coke and Pepsi were made with real sugar growing up as a kid, it did not make you want to drink more and more and more of it.

today all the soft drinks are made with HFCS, Pepsi recently introduced a product for a limited time called 'Throwback', it is made with natural sugar, you can taste the difference.

HFCS is everywhere in every type of food, read the labels and buy breads made with no HFCS.

I recommend everyone, especially if you have soda-drinking children to read up on HFCS.

http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/highfructose.html

[Calinative]

01:33 PM on 10/09/2009

Great article. Really makes me want to double up my efforts to avoid the stuff completely. If only we could make banning HFCS and other frankenfoods a part of health care reform...

[Bill125]

11:23 PM on 10/08/2009

I've learned the reason most fat people can't get thin is because they get less than 9 hours of sleep per night and don't exercise for an hour or more every day. It takes between a year and two years for daily exercise to reduce weight. The weight loss comes suddenly after about 9 months of consistent work. Sleep is also important. Most primates, including humans, require 9 hours minimum of sleep every night. Gorillas take an additional half hour nap each day as well. Many Americans are over worked, over stimulated and over stressed. They don't sleep well and can't find time to exercise an hour or more every day for two years. Other techniques to aid weight loss are: avoid drinking any liquid except water; don't eat more than one meal per month at a restaurant; avoid salt.

[scottyknows]

07:59 PM on 10/08/2009

Dear Coke,

Haven't you heard? This is a New Generation!

Entitled, irresponsible, blamers. The Greatest Generation they're not.

[patiencepatriot]

07:21 PM on 10/08/2009

Dear Coke,
Yes you did. Not all by yourselves, but you did, and do. 32oz bottles cheaper than 8oz bottle of water. You are practically pouring it down people's throats.

What are you thinking?

(And not to get off-message but, you have also messed seriously with the environment in the manufacture of Coke.)

[doxienan]

04:23 PM on 10/08/2009

And you didn't rot our teeth either. Good job!

[thrugreeneyez]

04:23 PM on 10/08/2009

Tax the heck out of Coke and the other socially irresponsible soda companies! They still refuse to take any responsibility. It is unconscionable that Coke still tries to defend its crappy product even with so many kids coming down with diabetes. How do these people live with themselves?

[middleofthemiddle]

03:00 PM on 10/08/2009

Ofcourse not, you just helped them maintain it.

[MagicalPossibilities]

02:06 PM on 10/08/2009

Is it coincidence that the meteoric rise in obesity in the U.S. began exactly when soft drink companies started replacing sugar with high fructose corn syrup? I think not.

[propitiousmoment]

02:24 PM on 10/08/2009

Also when restaurants started marketing the larger portion sizes.

[KIVPossum]

02:57 PM on 10/08/2009

Is it coincidence that the rise began when people started drinking it like water? Sadly I am old enough to remember a day when a soft drink was a luxury, not a daily requirement. Now it seems everyone has to supersize 3 or 4 soft drinks a day.

[sixyfivepercentwater]

02:06 PM on 10/08/2009

How amazingly arrogant is this statement! It makes absolutely no sense from a marketing point of view to alienate your consumer base, and yet Coke thinks it's a great idea.

"Sugar-sweetened beverages have been singled out. . ." WHOA. The main problem with Coca-Cola is that it is NOT sweetened with sugar but with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). There is a lot of research that shows that swilling down HFCS is contributing to the obesity of America.

However, Coca-Cola is right. Their products aren't making anyone fat. It's the people who are drinking their products, and who ought to know what they're swilling down by now, who are making themselves fat.

[pakaal]

03:58 PM on 10/08/2009

HFCS is incredibly addictive - much more so than sugar. And they know it.

[dayala]

10:18 AM on 10/09/2009

exactly, it is the same tactic used by the tobacco industry that made nicotine more addictive,
the food industry has adopted the same strategy.

avoid all foods made with HFCS, especially for your children.

if they want soda buy the 8 oz cans of Pepsi's Throwback product, it is made with natural sugar.

http://pepsithrowbackhub.com/

[jennylynn]

01:50 PM on 10/08/2009

Stop drinking them if you don't like the sugar or calories. Case Closed.

[LovePeacock]

03:18 PM on 10/08/2009

Thank you! Americans made America fat.

[pakaal]

03:57 PM on 10/08/2009

Oh, but we LOVE sugar and calories, that's some deliciously addictive goodness in there!