The new school nutrition standards place restrictions on calories and will increase offerings of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, while reducing saturated fat, trans fats and sodium.  While the changes will affect meals served to millions of children in school cafeterias across America only, we know that standards for competitive foods sold in schools are forthcoming as well.  This will include foods and beverages sold in vending machines.

If you’ve been a long-time reader of Sip & Savor, then you know that the health of our nation’s young people is something our industry is committed to and providing them nutritious food and beverage options in schools is something we all support. To that end, in early 2010 we announced that we had successfully implemented national School Beverage Guidelines that removed full-calorie soft drinks from all schools and replaced them with more low-calorie, smaller-portion options.  The result:  a dramatic 88 percent reduction in beverage calories shipped to schools.  In fact, the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” points to our national School Beverage Guidelines as a set of guidelines to be considered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as it drafts new rules.   After all, the School Beverage Guidelines strike the right balance, are supported by parents and are a national standard already in place and working.

Everyone has a role to play in reducing – and preventing – obesity.  Our industry has stepped up to do its part. In support of the First Lady’s campaign, we launched our Clear on Calories initiative, making it easier for consumers to choose the beverage that’s right for them by placing calorie labels on the front of every bottle, can and pack we produce. And through our voluntary national School Beverage Guidelines, we’ve removed full-calorie sodas from all schools and replaced them with more lower-calorie, smaller-portion options.

These initiatives will have a positive and lasting effect for generations to come.

The FoodNavigator.com article also references a French group asking for a pregnancy warning label regarding aspartame based on the findings of a Danish study from 2010.  So we also wanted to share a few facts on that particular study that we shared in response, which can be found here.

The main point we’d like to reinforce with our readers today:  low-calorie sweeteners are safe. So if you’re looking for a low-or no-calorie beverage to quench your thirst, you can do so with confidence.

And just because you’re trying to drop a few pounds doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite refreshing beverages.  After all, our industry produced myriad options in a wide range of calories. With the implementation of our Clear on Calories initiative, America’s leading beverage companies are putting calorie information right at the fingertips of consumers. By placing new calorie labels on the front of every bottle, can and pack we produce, we’re helping consumers choose the beverage that is best for them and their families.  And low-calorie sweeteners can also help you enjoy some of your favorite foods and beverages without sacrificing the taste.

Whatever your resolution this year, we hope you are successful – and remember, the more realistic the goal, the more attainable….although we would never discourage our readers from dreaming big!

First, suggesting that there is something unique about the calories in soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages is simply false.  Calories are calories, regardless of their source.  If we really want to have an impact in reducing childhood obesity, we need to look at comprehensive approaches – like First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign. Her effort takes diet, exercise and education into consideration – rather than singling out any one food, beverage or ingredient as the scapegoat.  That’s why our industry announced its Clear on Calories initiative in support of the “Let’s Move!” campaign. By voluntarily putting calorie labels on the front of every bottle, can and pack we produce, we’re making it easier for consumers to make informed choices about the beverages that are best for themselves and their families.

Now, why does this group want to remove the sales tax exemption on soda and candy?  It’s simple – to generate revenue.  Why?  Because they think the revenue could be used to help fight childhood obesity or provide funding to local schools.  Our industry fully supports helping to fight childhood obesity (and our actions show our support for the nation’s schoolchildren).  But attempting to single out soda to do it?  We’re not buying it – and others aren’t either.  Just last year, a Rasmussen Report found that 73 percent believe that lawmakers who support taxing soft drinks are more interested in raising additional funds for government than public health.

Let’s not forget one very important thing:  parents can decide what foods and beverages to give for their children without government help.

We’re not saying you can’t enjoy some eggnog at your holiday office party – or even a few nibbles of a traditional holiday gingerbread house, Christmas pudding or bûche de noel. But if you’re taking in extra calories, you have to find ways to burn them off.  We know the weather doesn’t always cooperate this time of year, but there are plenty of ways to exercise indoors.

We hope you enjoy all of the wonderful things the holiday season has to offer – from spending time with friends and family to volunteering in your local community.  And if you’re keeping an eye on what you eat and drink this holiday season, our industry provides myriad beverage choices in a wide range of calories, all of which can be part of a healthy diet. And like Sip & Savor mentioned yesterday, our industry is voluntarily putting calorie labels on the front of every bottle, can and pack we produce, making it easier for consumers to make informed choices about the beverages that are best for themselves and their families. Clear on Calories is just another tool to help you out this holiday season and throughout the year.

First, this was research presented at a scientific meeting – not a peer-reviewed study published in a scientific journal.  Regardless, it’s important to recognize that this type of study cannot show that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages causes increased risk for cardiovascular disease. It simply looks at associations between the two, which could be the result of numerous other confounding factors.

To that point, the American Heart Association states that two of the major risk factors for heart disease are increasing age and family history of cardiovascular disease. Yet this research, which looked at people ages 45 to 84, did not control for either factor.

If you’d like to read more about the limitations of this research, or the facts about cardiovascular disease, you can read our full response here on our website.

The study lacks scientific evidence, fails to prove cause and effect of drinking soda and perpetrating violence, factors out essential considerations such as socio-economic status, and surveys too small a sample and in only one demographic.  Even one of the authors, speaking to ABCNews after the release, backpedaled on their conclusion stating “there’s no reason to think that drinking soda causes teens to be violent.”

Beyond creating a stir in the headlines, this study has accomplished little else.  So, once again – we encourage our readers to get the full story before rushing to conclusions.  Check out our website for more information, and be sure to check back in with us!

Today, we’d like to share with you what we think are some common sense commitments by one RD – Robyn Flipse – to promote good health and nutrition.  We hope you enjoy reading her article in LifeGoesStrong.com. And in the interest of full disclosure, while Ms. Flipse may be a consultant to the food and beverage industry, it’s important to remember that her opinions are just that – her opinions.

Last night, the British journal Injury Prevention published a survey analysis that alleges teens who drink soda are more likely to carry a weapon or perpetrate violence.  Makes complete sense, right?  Not really. We know … you may have thought you were reading The Onion.

The reality is that there is no scientific evidence to support that young adults who consume soda are more likely to carry a weapon or engage in violent behavior.  The facts:

• The authors of this survey analysis looked at less than 1,900 Boston public high school students;
• They failed to factor out other important considerations.
• They did not prove cause and effect.
• And their conclusions are not representative of the broader teen population.  In fact, the authors themselves note that the conclusions “may not be generalisable to other populations” and that they “do not know the reason for the association between soft drinks and the perpetration of violence.”

This position was also shared in an ABCNews.com article where co-author Sara Solnick said “there’s no reason to think that drinking soda causes teens to be violent.”  So why do most of the headlines say the opposite?  In fact, the same ABCNews.com article includes commentary from Keith Ayoob, clinical professor of pediatrics and child development at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  Ayoob said, “If they’re carrying a weapon and have been violent, that may be a marker of a less-stable lifestyle.” And Dr. Martin Binks, clinical director and chief executive officer of North Carolina-based Binks Behavioral Health added, “All of their findings could have been better explained in light of socioeconomic status … Knowing potential relationships between socioeconomic status and the things they’re measuring, not including that data is a major omission.”

So what’s the lesson here?  Read beyond the headlines …