Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper Pledge to Cut Calories to Fight Obesity
by Vikas Vij
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than a third of American adults are obese. The annual medical cost of obesity in the United States in 2008 U.S. dollars was $147 billion. On average, the medical costs for an obese person are $1,429 higher than those for a person with normal weight. Obesity can lead to life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Amid growing concerns about the health risks of obesity across the U.S., the country’s three largest soda manufacturers, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Dr Pepper Snapple, have announced a commitment to cut down the calories in sugary drinks by 20 percent over the next 10 years. The pledge was announced at the 10th annual Clinton Global Initiative in New York. Former President Bill Clinton has called it a major step, which could effectively mean a weight loss of up to two pounds a year in some cases.
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