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Letter to the Editor (Toronto Star)
 
I would like to correct some of the misinformation in the October 11 article by David Olive titled "An official cheap food policy has led to rising obesity-related health costs".

First, the food industry does not make people sick. Peoples' choice of ingesting too many calories without an adequate amount of exercise contributes to an unhealthy lifestyle. Second, high fructose corn syrup is not any more fattening than sugar, fructose or any other natural sweetener.

Like many foods, soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are a source of calories, but they are not a unique risk factor for obesity or other negative health outcomes - including heart disease. The experts will tell you that no single food causes obesity. In fact, no single food or food ingredient can be held responsible for weight gain - the human body does not differentiate the source of calories consumed (whether high fructose corn syrup or sugar) to produce energy in active people or store them as fat in inactive people.
 
The fact is that while obesity levels have increased steadily in North America, the consumption of full calorie soft drink drinks in Canada have decreased 3 per cent per year over the last decade. How does one explain this, except to recognize that no single food or beverage is responsible for obesity, and obesity is an extremely complex issue?

A 2005 study by researchers at Queen's University and funded by Health Canada surveyed 137,000 children across 34 countries and concluded that there was no correlation between the overweight status of adolescent children and any particular food or beverage (including soft drinks). It also concluded that overweight kids simply need to become more active and undertake less sedentary activities (such as watching television). Regardless, the beverage industry is currently implementing guidelines to provide a range of age appropriate beverages for sale in Canadian schools while reducing the total calories of available choices.

The solution to obesity lies in encouraging healthy active lifestyles that balance calories in to calories out.  This is something the beverage industry supports and encourages by helping consumers make appropriate choices.  We do this in three ways - by providing easy access to calorie and nutrition information, promoting physical activity and beverage innovation. The industry produces a full range of low and no calorie beverage choices for the thirsty consumer on the go.

Refreshments Canada is the national trade association representing the broad spectrum of brands and companies that manufacture and distribute the majority of non-alcoholic liquid refreshment beverages consumed in Canada.
 
For more information please contact:
 
Justin Sherwood
President

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