Soda Politics

Marion Nestle, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, is a leading advocate for better food safety in the U.S. If you’ve watched a recent sporting event, from the super bowl, to the current NCAA basketball tournament, to NASCAR races and even the Olympics, you’ve noticed the aggressive sponsorships from leading beverage companies--namely Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Numerous athletes are spokesmen for these products, and it strikes some as just a bit odd. It has become common knowledge that soda is unhealthy, full of sugar and leads to health challenges like obesity, diabetes, and poor dental hygiene. So why are sporting events and athletes--seemingly active and fit people--the faces of products they likely don’t even drink? Soft drinks seem like a basic product--simply sugared water--but according to Dr. Nestle, soda is all about race and class in America. She shares with us more about the business and threat the beverage industry poses on our nation’s health, outlined in her book, "Soda Politics: Taking on Big Soda (And Winning)".