Exercise matters more than diet in fighting obesity
| Exercise matters more than diet in fighting obesity | |
|---|---|
| MISLEADING | |
| "The main cause of obesity is lack of exercise, so people can keep drinking sugary drinks as long as they stay active." | |
| Domain | Food, Nutrition & Wellness |
| Tactic | Propaganda Technique Statistical & Evidentiary Distortion |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2014 |
| Origin | The Global Energy Balance Network, a group of scientists funded by Coca-Cola, launched in 2014 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on Food, Nutrition & Wellness | |
In 2014, a group of scientists formed the Global Energy Balance Network, which promoted the message that Americans focused too much on what they eat and drink and not enough on physical activity. The group's website and statements said there was "really virtually no compelling evidence" that fast food and sugary drinks caused obesity.
In August 2015, The New York Times revealed that Coca-Cola had provided $1.5 million to start the group.
What the evidence shows
- Funding. Coca-Cola acknowledged its financial support. The University of Colorado, which hosted the group's website, returned $1 million it had received from the company. The network shut down in November 2015.
- Wider spending. After the report, Coca-Cola disclosed that it had spent about $120 million since 2010 on health research and partnerships.
- The science. Most nutrition research finds that diet has a larger effect on weight than exercise, and that it is difficult to burn off the calories in sugary drinks through activity alone. Exercise has many health benefits but is not the main lever for weight.
Why it matters
Funding scientists to shift attention away from a company's products is a long-standing industry tactic, previously used by the sugar and tobacco industries.
Sources
- Anahad O'Connor, "Coca-Cola Funds Scientists Who Shift Blame for Obesity Away From Bad Diets," The New York Times, August 9, 2015.
- Associated Press, "Coca-Cola-funded group shuts down after criticism," December 2015.
- Coca-Cola Company, disclosure of health and wellbeing funding, September 2015.