Posted: Wednesday, October 21, 1998

PRESS RELEASE
Publication Date: October 21, 1998

New York, NY—October 21,1998.

The American Council on Science and Health rejects the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s claims that soda necessarily contributes to poor dietary status and/or ill health in children. ACSH President Dr. Elizabeth Whelan and ACSH Director of Nutrition Dr. Ruth Kava offer this perspective:

1. Parents of young children and teens should take seriously their role in educating their children on eating patterns which result in a balanced, varied, moderate diet. In contrast to the position taken by CSPI, there are no good foods or bad foods. The problem is not any one food, but one of dietary immoderation, imbalance and lack of variety.

2. As long as young children or teens consume a well–balanced, healthful diet, moderate consumption of soda does not threaten their health or nutritional well being.

3. Too much of anything–even a food as innocuous as apple juice–can compromise nutritional status by crowding out necessary nutrients. For example, a child who consumes excessive amounts of soda—or apple juice—may be consuming too few dairy products like milk and thus may suffer a calcium deficiency.

4. It is counterproductive for a group like CSPI to take on the role of “food police” and single out specific foods as “bad”. Further it is unreasonable and unjustified for CSPI to target soda manufacturers as the “villains” when they are a) manufacturing a safe product; and b) it is the role of parents, not corporations, to teach commonsense nutrition habits.

Both Dr. Whelan and Dr. Kava are available for phone and for in–person interviews.

For more information contact:

The American Council on Science and Health
1995 Broadway, 2nd Floor
New York, New York 10023–5860
(212)362–7044