Conflicts of Interest with Coca-Cola

                It is no secret that, in the United States, heart disease and obesity are two of the leading topics of discussion in public health today. There is an increasing trend in the number of individuals who are diagnosed with these diseases, and concerns for this pattern tend to direct the conversation of healthcare into how research funding should be used and to distributed. Certainly there are a number of reputable entities — such as the American Heart association and the American Diabetes Association — that utilize funding and donation dollars to conduct thorough research and yield reliable results to educate the public and influence policy makers to make governing decisions that could reduce new disease occurrences. After all, policies banning trans fats from foods prepared by restaurants and increasing taxes on soda products were the result of sound research on the effects of these consumer products on the human body.

                However, consider the situation in which two years ago it was revealed that Dr. James Hill, a nutrition expert from the University of Colorado-Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, accepted a total of $550,000 from the Coca-Cola Company to present his research to international groups and essentially downplay the role of added sugar in obesity and criticize the newly formed sugar tax. Along with this, his close association with the Global Energy Balance Network, a non-profit group that sought to emphasize lack of exercise as the leading cause of obesity and not sugary foods and beverages, was also revealed. This obviously sparked some controversy in the scientific community, as there were some critical conflicts of interest that interfered with research objectivity in measuring data, reporting results, and integrity.

                Consider the detrimental effects of presenting research in this manner. We know that there are several negative health effects when it comes to overconsuming sugary foods, and certainly having a sedentary lifestyle comes into play when diagnosing heart disease and obesity. However, hearing reports of sugar not being so bad for you from an accomplished researcher could potentially cause individuals who are not well versed in the sciences to make lifestyle choices that could negatively impact their health. As future researchers and healthcare providers, we must keep in mind the dangers of financial conflicts of interest when conducting and reporting research. We must maintain an unbiased approach to our practice so that we can provide the best help for — and do no harm to — those we aim to serve.

Olinger, D. (2015, December 26). “CU nutrition expert accepts $550,000 from Coca-Cola for obesity campaign.” Retrieved from http://www.denverpost.com/2015/12/26/cu-nutrition-expert-accepts-550000-from-coca-cola-for-obesity-campaign/