Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners. Companies that make them often imply in their advertising that they can help with weight loss. The consumer advocacy group, U.S. Right to Know is targeting one particular company. The advocacy group sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking the federal agency to stop the Coca-Cola Company from making illegal claims that its artificially sweetened sodas prevent, mitigate or treat obesity.
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According to U.S. Right to Know, Coca-Cola has made at least eight “apparently illegal disease claims” regarding its artificially sweetened sodas. In the letter the advocacy group urged the FDA to “issue a warning letter to the Coca-Cola Company concluding that it is illegally employing “disease claims” to market its artificially sweetened beverages.” It also urged the FDA to “take appropriate actions under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act” if the violations are not corrected.
“Coca-Cola's claims appear to be illegal disease claims,” Gary Ruskin, Executive Director, U.S. Right to Know told Naturally Savvy. “But it's even worse than that. They also appear to be false, because artificial sweeteners likely do not bring weight loss and may well cause weight gain.”
Ruskin believes that marketing artificially sweetened beverages as ‘diet’ products “will go down as one of the greatest consumer frauds in our nation's history.”
The letter sent by U.S. Right to Know cites several examples of claims made by Coca-Cola, including:
- An infographic titled “Illustrating Coca-Cola’s Global Commitments to Help Fight Obesity” stated that the company “commits to offer low- or no- calorie beverage options in every market.”
- The company’s “Position on Obesity” stated it it “announced four global commitments to bring people together to help find workable solutions to address obesity,” and that its lead “commitment” was to “offer low- or no-calorie beverage options in every market.”
- A television advertisement released in January 2013 explained the company’s position on “beating obesity.” The ad explained that “we now offer over 180 low and no calorie choices, and most of our full calorie beverages now have low or no calorie versions.” The same ad states that, regarding schools, “our industry has voluntarily changed its offerings to primarily waters, juices and low and no calorie options.”
Despite Coca-Cola’s claims, a number of studies have found the opposite to be true about artificially sweetened sodas. They cause weight gain and not weight loss. A 2010 review of studies on artificial sweeteners published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine concluded that “research studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may contribute to weight gain.” A more recent study, published in 2014, found a link with obesity and consumption of artificial sweeteners.
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Image via Dan Hughes
