Chapter 1: The Manipulation of Scientific Truth

It has become increasingly apparent that corporations like Coca-Cola have misled the public into believing that exercise is more pivotal than diet in managing weight. In her work "Soda Science," Susan Greenhalgh details her investigations into this troubling phenomenon, particularly during her time in China when Coca-Cola secured a foothold in the Ministry of Health, where their misleading claims were accepted as genuine science and disseminated as national policy.

What Coca-Cola achieved was a reversal of the scientific method. Instead of allowing research and experimentation to lead to conclusions, they asserted that insufficient exercise was the primary cause of global obesity and orchestrated studies to support this narrative. They recruited exercise enthusiasts from academia to champion this perspective and established research centers globally to propagate the idea that diet was nearly inconsequential.

The prevailing belief became that as long as calorie expenditure exceeded intake, dietary habits could be disregarded. By neglecting critical inquiries, their research was presented as legitimate science, at least to the media. This distortion has even been termed "corporate science," akin to the notion of alternative facts—widely accepted and seemingly unchallenged.

In a turning point in 2015, the New York Times published a groundbreaking exposé on the Global Energy Balance Network (GEBN), revealing its covert sponsorship by Coca-Cola and its flawed scientific approach. This revelation caused a collapse of this façade, leading Coca-Cola to acknowledge its missteps and withdraw support for the initiative (in the U.S.), which it had initially established and funded.

Despite the exposure, public trust in corporate practices remained low, especially after experiences with Big Pharma, Big Agriculture, and Big Tobacco. Coca-Cola faced no significant repercussions; its stock remained stable, management faced no legal actions, and no fines were imposed. This scenario exemplifies the neoliberal landscape where private enterprises often act with impunity.

The GEBN was a focal point for the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), which Greenhalgh describes as a nonprofit dedicated to defending unhealthy food products. Originally established in the 1970s to promote caffeine consumption, it shifted its focus to added sugars in the late 1990s, garnering support from various unhealthy food advocates. Its motto was clear: "Never Soda Taxes." In light of the absence of FDA regulations, many cities considered taxing sugary foods to mitigate health issues. Following the GEBN's exposure, the collapse of the ILSI network seemed inevitable.

This narrative, while not new, is one of many similar stories. However, the second half of Greenhalgh's book reveals a contrasting tale in China, where the outcomes were drastically different.

Chapter 2: The Rise of ILSI-China

Greenhalgh chronicles the rapid ascent of ILSI-China, documenting how its strategies were embraced as government policy. Its offices moved into the Ministry of Health, leading to a significant downplaying of dietary considerations in favor of exercise promotion. As China opened up to more Western fast foods, obesity rates surged.

She notes that Coca-Cola-backed initiatives accounted for a substantial rise in exercise programs. At industry-dominated nutritional conferences, Greenhalgh confronted government officials about the conflicts of interest inherent in allowing corporations to shape policy and fund research. Their discomfort was palpable.

The timing was favorable for ILSI, as Premier Deng Xiaoping initiated China's opening to the global market, openly admitting a desire for Western expertise to catch up. With obesity emerging as a new health crisis in a previously impoverished nation, Western corporations' advocacy for increased exercise was seen as an appealing, low-cost solution. This narrative found a staunch supporter in Chen Chun-ming, a respected healthcare administrator who facilitated ILSI's agenda within the government.

However, this collaboration was not sustainable. As obesity rates climbed, the authoritarian Xi Jinping tightened governmental control. The passing of ILSI's champion Chen led to a swift expulsion of Western junk food influence from Chinese policy. Subsequently, Coca-Cola withdrew financial backing, resulting in ILSI's closure in China and the end of a two-decade period of flawed scientific reasoning surrounding weight management.

Greenhalgh, as a Harvard emerita professor with expertise in nutrition and China, is uniquely qualified to narrate this story. Yet, her exhaustive documentation—complete with emails, event lists, and detailed accounts—often feels overwhelming. The book, while thorough, sometimes sacrifices reader engagement for the sake of completeness.

Fortunately, the conclusion is compelling, filling in gaps in the science. Greenhalgh updates readers on findings, asserting that "daily energy expenditure in the United States is the same now as before the rise of the obesity epidemic," indicating that sedentary lifestyles are not the primary contributors to obesity—junk food is. She references a study of the Hazda tribe in Tasmania, highlighting that their bodies regulate activity levels, with food intake being the decisive factor.

The notion that taking ten thousand steps daily is scientifically grounded is debunked as mere marketing by pedometer manufacturers. Furthermore, she asserts that achieving a mere five percent weight loss requires an extensive commitment of seven hours of moderate exercise per week.

As the Western food industry turns its focus to Latin America, Greenhalgh notes concerning trends: ultraprocessed foods are marketed as necessities, health claims are made based on added macronutrients, and regulations are framed as detrimental to trade.

One must ponder why major American corporations seem intent on harming their customers. The persistence of these practices raises significant ethical questions about corporate responsibility and public health.

In the first video, titled "Why No One Trusts Scientists Anymore | My lecture to WASH U | COVID19 policy," the speaker discusses the erosion of public trust in scientific institutions and the impact of corporate interests on scientific integrity.

The second video, "Communicating Science to Nonscientists in Post-Election & Post-Pandemic America," explores the challenges of effectively conveying scientific knowledge to the general public in today's complex socio-political landscape.

David Wineberg

(Susan Greenhalgh, Soda Science, August 2024)