Pepsi-Co & Coca-Cola & Dr. Pepper Snapple Come Together to Support Lower Calorie Beverages

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Blog Contributed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC.

Three beverage giants, the American Beverage Association and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation have come together on an impressive goal: “Reduce Beverage Calories Consumed Per Person Nationally by 20% by 2025”.

The agreement includes national initiatives to:

  • Reduce beverage portion sizes and calories
  • Educate consumers about these new options
  • Promote calorie awareness of beverages

Also included are community initiatives to:

  • Achieve a 20% reduction in calories consumed per person by 2025
  • Promote consumption of water products
  • Providing coupons to incentivize consumers to try these new lower calorie, smaller sized products

Helping Fight Obesity

“Calories from beverages such as regular sodas and fruit drinks make up 6 percent of Americans’ daily caloric intake,” said Dr. Howell Wechsler, CEO of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. “Reducing the number of calories consumed from beverages in the United States is imperative to helping curb obesity.

“We commend the beverage industry for making this strong commitment to reducing the number of beverage calories consumed per person by 20 percent.”{3}

This is being executed in an effort to curb obesity in America. It is almost impossible to go an entire day without at least one person mentioning weight, calories, dieting, etc. We all know that we need a balanced and varied diet of reasonable calories for our body type and energy expenditures.

We all agree that regular exercise is important in maintaining optimal health.

Obesity in the US and How Corporations Can Help

I am pleased about this agreement on many fronts, and believe many of you will agree with me that:

  • Obesity is a huge problem in the US
  • Reduction of consumption of empty calories makes sense for most of us
  • Efforts by large corporations to address the health needs of society are important and needed

I am also encouraged to see health initiatives by large companies. It is uplifting to see private and public sectors work together for the good of society. This is part of what makes America great!

Some Concerns About Corporate Efforts

skyscrapers-164592_640So, Corporate America does have a heart, they care about us, right?

Not so fast…Concerns I have about this Pepsi-Co, Coca-Cola & Dr. Pepper Snapple pledge may also resonate with you:

  • The goal of publicizing calories extensively can lead to restrictive eating and eating disorders for some who may become obsessive about counting calories.
  • Have soda sales dropped so significantly, as Americans become more health oriented, that this is simply a play to boost sales of these companies’ health drinks and boost shareholder returns?
  • Does the Alliance for a Healthier America, which has a goal of reducing childhood obesity, have a task force in place to protect against encouraging disordered eating behaviors? And to also prevent and educate consumers about eating disorders?
  • Does the deeper partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) imply political agendas behind this effort?

Answers to these questions would be very helpful for all of us to form our own well informed opinions. We are reaching out to the leaders in this movement and will hopefully be back soon with their responses to our questions and further insights into this promising new agreement.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

What are your thoughts on the American Beverage Association and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation including a task force to educate consumers about eating disorders?

References:

  1. Frizell, S. (2014) Coke and Pepsi Pledge to Cut Calories. Time Magazine. September 23, 2014. Published: http://time.com/3422724/coca-cola-pepsi-dr-pepper-snapple-soda-calories/
  2. American Beverage Association. Published: http://www.ameribev.org/nutrition-science/balance-calories-initiative/
  3. Alliance for a Healthier Generation and America’s Beverage Companies Announce Landmark CGI Commitment to Reduce Beverage Calories Consumed Across the Nation. Delivering Choices Organization Press Release. September 23, 2014. Published: http://deliveringchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/09-23-14-FINAL-Alliance-Beverage-Announcement.pdf