Coke Didn't Make America Fat

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 10-07-09 | MUHTAR KENT

[GOP_Lady]

Americans need more exercise, not another tax.

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.

But a number of public-health advocates have already come up with what they think is the solution: heavy taxes on some routine foods and beverages that they have decided are high in calories. The taxes, the advocates acknowledge, are intended to limit consumption of targeted foods and help you to accept the diet that they have determined is best.

[Zeppo]

Typically confused leftist "logic":

• Coca cola was introduced to America more than 100 years ago, in 1886
• In recent years, obesity has become a major problem in America
• Even though obesity was not a major problem during 100 years when Americans were drinking Coca Cola, it's obvious that Coca Cola must be the culprit responsible for the increase in obesity
• Coca Cola is manufactured by a corporation
• Corporations are "bad"
• Blaming Coca Cola for the problem will convince weak-minded and stupid people that the government must "do something" about the evil corporation that produces it
• the government is controlled by Democrats
• Democrats are really, really good at creating problems
• Democrats are not particularly good at solving problems
• However, Democrats are really, really good at taxing companies and products
• Let's raise taxes on Coca Cola so that we can pretend that we're "doing something" about the obesity problem
• People will continue to drink Coca Cola, therefore the government will rake in lots of money
• The Coca Cola company will "donate" lots of money to Democrats in Congress to attempt to limit the government's damage to their company
• Stupid and weak-minded people will not notice that the government has not solved the obesity problem
• Stupid and weak-minded people make good Democrat voters
• therefore in a few years we can increase the taxes on Coca Cola and still retain control of Congress
• repeat the cycle

[Skenderbej]

My wife and I are perfect examples of that. We eat exactly the same things, yet she doesn’t gain a pound, and I’ve put on twenty.

[utahagen]

I’d argue that juices are worse for kids than soda because juice is “healthy” and, therefore, is served to kids much too often. juice is packed with calories and its sugar goes right to the bloodstream, triggering a spike in blood sugar levels and spurring a craving for more calories. Kids are ingesting massive numbers of calories from those juice boxes.

[DaveTesla]

"I’d hit that table."

Watch out for splinters!

[fooman]

Very true and very good post. I dropped 30 lbs, by dropping carbs (sweets, BEER (ugh), fries and bread) and by doing 30 of cardio in the MORNING.

People, if you do the cardio IN THE MORNING the following happens:
1) you are energized at the office all day.
2) you dont drink as much caffeine and can handle what you do drink.
3) you are tired at night and can sleep
4) you burn fat stores, since you have not eaten yet.

Wife now has hdl of 97 with very good weight (cant say) after having twins and I have gone from 205+ to 174.

[Just A Nobody]

according to the left the only part of your body you control

Yep, I'm aware of that. Which is why I am using their words and symbols against the BS being dished out. Plus, I don't give a rat's arse what the "left", aka commies, think.

[brytlea]

Interesting that you use the word hunger pains. I know exactly what you mean, they hurt! However, I recently asked my thin husband and son if they felt pain when they were hungry, and both said no. I found that fascinating. It would be far easier to eat less if there weren’t hunger pains.

[Abathar]

Laz is on his way over with his Craftsman drill...

[BigSkyFreeper]

I graduated high school 20 years ago, and at that time I weighed approximately 135 pounds. I pretty much stayed that way until just a few years ago when I had some modest weight gain where I “peaked” for most of the years at around 155 pounds. About 18 months ago, I quit smoking after nearly 19 years with the habit and within a week of quitting, I gained 5 more pounds. Those 5 pounds increased my waistline 3 inches. I went from a size 29 to a size 32.

[aruanan]

Body weight and size are individually determined not only by eating habit choices but by genetics and metabolism.

Fat mass is determined only by how much the energy intake is in excess of the energy expenditure. Now, you may feel more hungry or hungry more often and that may have something to do with genetics, but the gain or loss in fat mass is entirely a matter of increase or decrease of energy intake relative to energy expenditure. There is no other way short of surgery.

[ravingnutter]

That's a pretty wide brush you are swinging there. I gained 35 lbs. on steroid injections that I have to take for painful arthritis and until I can get my hip replacement, I am not allowed to exercise per doctor's orders. I eat like a bird, do not use sugar, do not eat fried foods and most days I skip dinner. My sister takes Prednisone as she has Meniere's Disease, she also very eats very little and is overweight from the medication. We jokingly refer to ourselves as the "Steroid Sisters". So, no, we are not fat because we eat too much. There are medical conditions and medications that can cause people to gain weight.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Any bets the tax will include diet Coke?

I recall that, back in the early 1980's, sugar prices went through the roof, causing a big increase in the price of soft drinks. I only drink diet soda or club soda and when I went to the store to buy some, I was shocked to see that the price of those had gone up just as much as the sugar-laden ones. I asked the store manager about it and he said (and I quote) "They had to do that to make the prices competitive." I decided to drink water instead, as a matter of principle.

[Just A Nobody]

Say that to my face COWARD!

OK...no problem.

Just A Nobody >>> csmusaret <<< You LIE!

[fooman]

yes it does, it is true. And one admitted side effect is lower calories DO make you feel melancholy

[fooman]

but only temporary and you feel MUCH better after dropping 30 lbs.

[squarebarb]

Bulimic Barbie!

[Just A Nobody]

P.S.

prodigous- no dictionary results

[Dr. Sivana]

I’d argue that juices are worse for kids than soda because juice is “healthy” and, therefore, is served to kids much too often.

When it is used that way, of course you are right, especially as most juices have more sugar than soda. The good benefits of juices (e.g. vitamin C) are maxed out after couple of reasonably sized serving.

Technically, a serving of orange juice is usually described as 4 oz. but who really follows that?

On the other hand, I saw a billboard the other day pushing the Coke 50 oz. twin pack, with the caption "enough for your meal." It wasn't that long ago that a modern McDonald's medium was the old large drink (22 oz.) which of course was filled with ice. Go back a little farther, and soda bottles ranged from 6 oz. (Coke) to 12 oz. (Pepsi). We drink the stuff differently now, and that goes for juice, too.

[oldironsides]

The New Jersey race took on a new look with the attack on the Republican candidate and his fat. The slow motion fat jiggles by the Corzine camp are aimed at putting the GOP candidate away. You can tell the Obama /Emanuel camp is in NJ running things. No mention of taxes, just a clear shot of slow motion fat moving around as the GOP candidate gets out of a vehicle

[brytlea]

When my kids were little I made juice from frozen concentrate. I always added quite a bit more water than it called for, figuring water was better for them than juice. When they finally tasted *real* juice, they realized I had been holding out on them! ;)