Liquid Candy On The Defense In A Court Near You?
An impending lawsuit has the U.S. soft drink industry battling claims that it bears a significant amount of the blame for America's youth obesity epidemic.
An Attractive Nuisance
Lawyers, some of them veterans of lawsuits against the tobacco industry, are gearing up to claim that soda firmsthat fill school vending machines are selling deliberately harmful products to youth.
The case will be based on the notion that school vending machines are an "attractive nuisance" -- the same concept used to make landowners fence in swimming pools, which could pose a danger to nearby children.
Liquid Candy
Advocates for the beverage industry have already launched a counteroffensive, calling the idea "ridiculous." But the public health advocacy group The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), countered that soda was "liquid candy" and called for cigarette-style health warnings on cans. CSPI said research showed teenagers consume an average of two to three cans of soda per day in the United States.
60 Percent With Each Serving
The percentage of overweight children in the United States has tripled since 1980. A 2001 study in the medical journal "The Lancet" revealed that with each additional serving of soda, a 12-year-old increased the chance of obesity by 60 percent.
Yahoo News December 14, 2005
~~~~~
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
Soft drink manufacturers were hoping that the recent 24 percent plunge in non-diet soda sales in America's public schools and voluntary guidelines for reducing a child's exposure to high-calorie sugary drinks would be enough to forestall a huge lawsuit, the likes of Big Tobacco's multi-billion-dollar settlements with 46 states.
I wouldn't bet the farm on it, however, with the Center for Science in the PublicInterest partly behind the effort.
Although none of the protagonists are talking specifics, look for a lawsuit to be filed in Massachusetts, a state with strong consumer protection laws, sometime next year.
A possible problem with any sort of settlement, should one ever come: A ridiculously high number of public schools -- including 75 percent of our nation's high schools -- make easy money selling these sugary, health-harming drinks to your kids.
Fact is, the debatable "windfall" from lawsuits can never compensate you or your family enough when it comes to your health. Here are some other reasons why you want to minimize your intake of soda:Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with your body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients. Sugar: Soft drink manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.
Don't think for a moment, though, that you can slip in diet soda to replace regular soda, as that is a definite move in the wrong direction.
As strange as it may seem after my extensive warnings about soda, I am absolutely convinced that diet sodas are actually worse than regular soda.Not too long agoI ran a study that showed consuming diet sodas actually doubles your risk of developing obesity.
Plus, artificial sweeteners used in diet soda, like Splenda and NutraSweet, pose major risks to your health.
Pure water is your best option for a beverage. One of the easiest things you can do for the good of your family's health and your own is to give up sodas and replace them with clean fresh water.
More Info Health & Wellness:
This article is reprinted from http://Mercola.com, the world's #1 most visited and trusted natural/alternative health website. For a limited time only, you can take the FREE "Metabolic Type Test" to help you learn the right foods for your particular body type so you can achieve optimal fitness & health. Just go to http://www.mercola.com/forms/mt_test.htm right now to take this quick test!
Related Links:
The Hidden Agenda Behind the Bird Flu Hoax
Vitamin B12 And Sprirulina
9 Ways to Nurture Your Emotional Health
Health Benefits of Massage
Survey of 7,000 Diabetics Finds Supplements Improve Health
|
