Foodwatch A can of coke a day increases the risk of obesity and diabetes

Allegation by Foodwatch: Coca-Cola co-responsible for obesity and diabetes

Health experts like to point out the need to reduce the consumption of soft drinks. After all, such drinks are often the cause of obesity. In addition, they can promote diseases such as diabetes. The consumer organization Foodwatch even calls such drinks "liquid pathogens".

Sugary soft drinks favor diseases

Drinkable calorie bombs are truly enough. The most probably associated with high sugar is cola. This soft drink not only promotes overweight or obesity, but can also promote various diseases such as diabetes, as a video shows that made a few years ago a sensation. Foodwatch, the consumer organization, even calls these drinks "liquid pathogens" and accuses Coca-Cola of being co-responsible for obesity and diabetes.

Even a can of coke a day increases, according to Foodwatch the risk for obesity, obesity or type 2 diabetes. The consumer organization refers to such drinks as "liquid disease makers". (Image: B. Wylezich / fotolia.com)

Even a can of coke daily increases the risk of being overweight

"High consumption of sugary drinks has been shown to promote the development of many diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay," Foodwatch writes in a statement on the launch of the "Coca-Cola Report," now published..

"Also, diseases such as gout, non-alcoholic fatty liver and heart disease are associated with the consumption of sweetened beverages," say the experts.

But unlike, for example, confectionery, where "a handful" is considered unproblematic, sugar drinks are harmful even in comparatively small quantities.

Just one can a day increases the risk of overweight, obesity or type 2 diabetes, according to Foodwatch.

Sugar drinks provide only "empty calories" without important nutrients and without causing adequate saturation, which leads to an excessive calorie intake.

Children and adolescents in Germany - especially boys - drink significantly more sugar drinks than recommended.

Coca-Cola's sugar drinks are "liquid pathogens"

The consumer organization criticizes Coca-Cola's commitment to refrain from advertising to children under the age of twelve.

But the practice looks quite different according to the new Foodwatch report. Whether with football stars in advertising and promotions such as the Coca-Cola Advent calendar or the Christmas truck tour: Coca-Cola addressed specifically children and adolescents.

In addition, the group has just a whole set of popular Youtube stars especially for young people for its marketing campaigns.

Accordingly, nine of the 20 most-subscribed "Youtuber" in Germany already appeared on the company's own YouTube channel "CokeTV". The brand Coca-Cola is always set well in scene.

The most-clicked video on the German Coca-Cola channel was viewed more than 2.3 million times.

"Coca-Cola understands how hardly any other group can create a positive image - especially with young people," says Oliver Huizinga, author of the "Coca-Cola Report"..

"The sugar drinks from Coca-Cola are liquid illnesses. Of course every child knows that coke and soda are not healthy. But it's not about a little too much sugar - just one can a day promotes serious diseases like diabetes. "

Influence on research and politics

In addition, Coca-Cola is also involved at the political level to sow doubts about the harmful effects of sugar drinks and to prevent effective regulation of the products.

Foodwatch gives an example: Coca-Cola funded with 1.5 million US dollars a supposedly independent research institution, which publicly represented the position, not unhealthy diet, but lack of exercise is the central problem for obesity.

In the past, numerous studies have examined whether sugar drinks and obesity are related.

According to Foodwatch, 80 percent of food-funded studies found there was no link between obesity and the consumption of sugar drinks - while 80 percent of independently funded studies come to the opposite conclusion.

Researchers at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, also found evidence in the past year that the company was trying to manipulate current health policies.

According to the consumer organization, internal emails from Coca-Cola showed that the Group is particularly concerned about one political measure: special levies or taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.

A strategy paper by the Group acknowledges that the fight against this measure has the highest priority.

Politics called for action

Foodwatch calls on politicians not to shy away from conflict with global corporations such as Coca-Cola and the influential lobby, and finally take concrete action to address the epidemic of nutrition-related diseases.

Thus, the federal government must oblige the manufacturers of heavily sugared drinks to pay a levy.

Many countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Belgium or Mexico, have decided on such a special tax or levy. In the UK, this led to leading manufacturers reducing the sugar content of their products even before they came into effect. (Ad)