Coca-Cola Reaffirms Fight Against Obesity

The Coca-Cola Co. is bolstering its commitment to help American communities, business and government leaders find solutions to the complex issue of obesity with a range of initiatives.

A two-minute video, “Coming Together,” which recently debuted on national cable news, encourages viewers to keep in mind that all calories count in managing weight, including those in Coca-Cola products, as well as in other food and beverages. The aim of the video is to highlight some of the specifics of Coca-Cola’s ongoing mission to offer more beverage choices, including low- and no-calorie options, and to clearly communicate the calorie content of all its products.

A second spot, “Be OK,” which debuted on “American Idol” on Wednesday, Jan. 16, says upfront that a can of Coca-Cola contains 140 calories, and recommends that people have some fun burning those calories off.

“We are committed to bring people together to help fight obesity,” said Stuart Kronauge, general Mmanager, sparkling beverages at Atlanta-based Coca-Cola North America. “This is about the health and happiness of everyone who buys our products and wants great-tasting beverages, choice and information. The Coca-Cola Co. has an important role in this fight. Together, with willing partners, we will succeed.”

As well as the new ads, Coca-Cola is already helping support and promote physical activity initiatives in local communities.

Other projects that the company has undertaken include the following:

• “Coca-Cola Troops for Fitness”: Rolled out in Chicago last fall, the program recruits returning military veterans to teach military-style fitness classes featuring nutritional education to families in communities in dire need of wellness services. The Coca-Cola Foundation will expand the program in key cities across the country this year.
• "Triple Play”: Launched in 2005 by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) with aid from Coca-Cola, Triple Play encourages kids to eat a balanced diet, become more physically active and increase their ability to engage in healthy relationships.
• “School Fitness Centers & Governor’s Physical Fitness Challenge”: In collaboration with the National Foundation for Governor’s Fitness Councils and the American College of Sports Medicine, Coca-Cola has pledged $5 million to place 100 fitness centers in schools across the United States over the next five years. Featuring new fitness equipment, the unbranded centers will provide more than 5 million workouts annually, helping communities make physical activity a priority in schools. This program has already had an influence on more than 1.4 million students since its pilot.
• “ClimbsCorp”: Introduced in 2012 with support from Coca-Cola, ClimbsCorp, a program of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, is the nation’s first service corps devoted to revolutionizing Americans’ cardiovascular health and wellness. ClimbsCorp recommends an easy way to incorporate exercise into daily life: take the stairs.

Coca-Cola has implemented such health-and-wellness policies as not marketing to audiences of which children make up more than 35 percent, championing front-of-pack labeling that includes accurate calorie counts, adopting school beverage guidelines, and participating in First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative.

Further, the manufacturer’s obesity-fighting products include more than 180 low- and no-calorie options, 7.5-ounce mini cans for many of its full-calorie beverages, and the incorporation of a natural zero-calorie sweetener from the stevia plant into such items as vitaminwater zero.

“Overcoming obesity will require work from all of us,” noted Kronauge. “If we are to reach the goal of Americans achieving a happy, healthy and active future, we all will have to dedicate ourselves to move forward together.”