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American Dietetic Association Sells Out to Corporate Junk Food Lords

  • Spence Cooper
  • July 13, 2011

Welcome to the latest sellout to corporate food sociopaths, starring the American Dietetic Association, and Harvard’s Dr. Ronald Kleinman.

Kleinman will explore the so-called prevalent misconceptions about the safety of fluoride, sugar, artificial colors and non-nutritive sweeteners, on behalf of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing arm of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

The CDR has approved a program created by the The Coca-Cola Company Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness that covers supposed “urban myths”about the safety of food ingredients.

Believe it or not, participating in this bogus program will earn registered dietitians Continuing Professional Education unit credits.

In order to promote more Coke sales to kids, Kleinman, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company, will suggest ways dietitians can help quell unnecessary “concern among parents about their children’s health”regarding the ingredients in Coke, so that unfounded parental fears are finally laid to rest.

The non-profit organization Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), points out that Dr. Kleinman is physician-in-chief at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, chief of the Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Nutrition Unit, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

But it just so happens that the Ivy League Doctor has received substantial funds from food industry sources like artificial infant formula manufacturers Mead Johnson and Nestle Ltd.

“His study on optimal duration of breastfeeding was funded by Gerber Products. He also served as a paid expert witness for Gerber when they were sued for deceptive advertising. And he contributed to a brochure intended for children entitled ‘Variety’s Mountain’ produced by the Sugar Association”.

Program materials include flagrant lies, and absurd claims suggesting a majority of studies have not found links between sugar and behavior in children generally, or children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Additionally, dietitians will be instructed to inform the public that “any connection between artificial colors and neurotoxicity, or fears of the dangers of fluoride, are imaginary and come from hysterical (or at least unduly concerned) parents”.

As Alliance for Natural Health correctly points out, “sugar and artificial sweeteners are anything but safe. Fluoride poses a significant risk to the kidneys [as well as teeth, bones, the brain and the thyroid gland]. And commonly used food dyes pose risks which include hyperactivity in children, cancer (in animal studies), and allergic reactions”.

The ADA is sponsored by the soda and junk food industries, and Alliance for Natural Health feels that connection “greatly tarnishes the organization’s credibility” — a supreme understatement considering that ADA is partly funded by food giants like General Mills, Kellogg’s, Mars, Pepsico, and the CocaCola Company.

The fact is the American Dietetic Association has no credibility to tarnish.

American Dietetic Association Sells Out to Corporate Junk Food LordsThe ADA has mounted a state-by-state campaign to make sure that its Commission is the only one which will be accepted as a credentialing body for both registered dietitians and nutritionists, despite both occupational endeavors having two different fields of study and practice.

“By accepting only a single credentialing agency”one run by the dietitians, not nutritionists”state boards are establishing a ‘one-size-fits-all’ standard which removes all competition, essentially handing the ADA a government mandated monopoly over nutritional therapy.

As the Alliance for Natural Health notes, ADA’s power grab is a complete travesty. If you’re interested, please click on the ANH New York action alert here.

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