From NotMilk - School Milk Vending Machines Replace Soda

[Guest guest]

I was interested in this because I was absolutely floored by the statistics on

cheese consumption - do you know (check out below) that americans (and I

guess that would have to include those of us north of the border?) consume

31 pounds of cheese per person per year???? Other stats and good info here

too, so give it a quick look at least.

 

Best, Pat ;=)

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Stop Blaming Obesity on Soda

 

Yesterday (Sunday, December 5, 2004), many American

newspapers printed an Associated Press story that

began with this text:

 

" In schools across the country, milk is replacing

sodas, and nowhere is it more popular than in

America's Dairyland. "

 

<http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apscience_story.asp?

category=1500 & sl

ug=FIT%20Milk%20Machines>

 

Tiny Url: <http://tinyurl.com/6q4aw>

 

In 2004, USDA bureaucrats ignore the real evidence

and incorrectly blame America's obesity epidemic on

soda, so soda machines are removed from schools.

One finds so many conflicts of interest with USDA

employees holding seats of power. Many of these

decision makers have strong ties to the dairy

industry, but similar relations with soda manufacturers

are rare. See:

 

<http://www.notmilk.com/usdatest.html>

 

Tiny URL: <http://tinyurl.com/5dhrg>

 

Today we demonstrate that although soda may be a part

of the overall obesity problem seen over the past 30

years, the major factor is increased cheese consumption.

 

There was no obesity epidemic in 1970, but a drive

by America's schoolyards visually confirms that we

are an overweight society in 2004. What are we doing

differently today? What changed from 1970 to 2004?

 

Food data was Obtained from the following website:

 

<http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/03statab/health.pdf>

 

Tiny URL: <http://tinyurl.com/5dhrg>

 

The differences in soda and cheese consumption during the

period of time from 1970 through 2000 were considered.

Data were also obtained for 1970 soda and cheese consumption

rates by performing a Google search.

 

Here is what was discovered. In 1970, the per capita

consumption of soda in America was 29.9 gallons. By 2000,

that number had increased to 37.7 gallons.

 

In 1970, the per capita consumption of cheese was 10

pounds. By 2000, that number had increased to 29.8 pounds.

(In 2004, the average American will consumer over 31 pounds

of cheese.)

 

Just one factor was considered. Calories. The human body

does not care where it gets its fuel. Sugar, fat, protein,

carbs...it's all fuel to be converted into energy. Extra

fuel is stored as fat. So...in fairness to dairy, neither

fat nor cholesterol content was considered. Just calories.

 

One pound of American cheese contains 1,490 calories.

One gallon of cola contains 1,592 calories.

 

Here is what was found.

 

In 1970, when I was in college and most people were slim,

the average American each day consumed 130 calories from

soda and 71 calories from cheese. Criticize what you may,

but that proportion kept us relatively slim.

 

By 2000, the average American was consuming daily 164

calories from soda and 122 calories from cheese.

 

What we must do, then, is determine the differences. That

is the key to the obesity epidemic. The baseline (1970

numbers) did not result in large numbers of overweight

children as there are in 2004. That trend resulted from

the increased consumption of one or both commodities.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

From 1970 until 2000, the average American consumed

an additional 34 calories each day from soda. From

1970 until 2000, the average American consumed an

additional 50 calories each day from cheese.

 

In July of 2000, the Journal of the Archives of

Disease in Childhood reported:

 

" From 1965 to 1996, a considerable shift in the

adolescent diet occurred...increases occurred in the

consumption of higher fat potatoes and mixed dishes

(pizza, macaroni cheese)...These trends, far greater

than for US adults, may compromise health of the future

US population. "

 

Since there are 365 days in a year, and 3,500 calories

in a pound, I calculated that during the 4 years of

high school, a teenager would gain 14 additional

pounds from his or her soda consumption, and 21

additional pounds from his or her increased cheese

consumption.

 

Oh, yes...one major difference between the two

commodities that I have not yet considered in this

column, but do so now. Soda does not contain growth

hormones. Growth hormones instruct cells to grow.

Combine the large amount of calories found in cheese

with saturated animal fat and cholesterol, and an

abundance of naturally occurring concentrated growth

hormones, and the body does what it is instructed

to do. Grow! So, place the blame where it rightfully

belongs. Behold, the growth power of cheese.

 

Robert Cohen

http://www.notmilk.com