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Statement of CSPI President Michael F. Jacobson

August 13, 2015

The New York Times published a major exposé on August 10 about Coca-Cola setting up the Global Energy Balance Network. A la the tobacco industry, that group appears aimed at confusing consumers about the established science showing that sugar drinks are a major contributor to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Kudos to The Times for shining a spotlight on this latest attempt to buy science.

To make clear what the science really says, the Center for Science in the Public Interest organized a letter to the editor of The New York Times, which 36 leading research scientists and public health officials and advocates signed. We thank our co-signers listed below.

Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D. President Center for Science in the Public Interest

Lawrence J. Appel, M.D., M.P.H. C. David Molina, M.D., M.P.H. Professor of Medicine Epidemiology and International Health Director, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions

Alberto Ascherio, M.D., Dr.P.H. Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Suzanne M. Babich, Dr.P.H., M.S. Associate Dean of Global Health Professor of Health Policy and Management Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health Indiana University

George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D. S. Daniel Abraham Professor of Surgery Associate Director of Nutrition, Division of Nutrition Harvard Medical School

Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D. Dean, Sanford School of Public Policy Robert L. Flowers Professor of Public Policy Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Duke University

Carlos A. Camargo, M.D., Dr.P.H. Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School

Marilyn E. Carroll, Ph.D. Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Department of Psychiatry University of Minnesota

Mark Creager, M.D., FAHA President American Heart Association

Bob England, M.D., M.P.H. Director Maricopa County (Arizona) Department of Public Health

Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., FACS Director, Cardiovascular Prevention and Reversal Program Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute

Alejandro Gugliucci, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Associate Dean for Research, COM Director of Sponsored Programs Touro University-California

Joan Gussow, M.Ed., Ed.D., B.A. Adjunct Professor Teachers College Columbia University

David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., FACPM, FACP President, American College of Lifestyle Medicine Founding Director, Yale University Prevention Research Center

Robert Lustig, M.D. Professor University of California San Francisco School of Medicine

Vasanti Malik, Sc.D. Research Scientist Department of Nutrition Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., Dr.P.H. Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Barbara J. Moore, Ph.D., FTOS President and CEO, Shape Up America!®

Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health New York University

John D. Potter, M.D., Ph.D. Member and Senior Advisor, Division of Public Health Sciences Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology University of Washington

Goutham Rao, M.D. Vice Chair for Academic Affairs NorthShore and University of Chicago Departments of Family Medicine

Bill Reger-Nash, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, West Virginia University School of Public Health

Eric Rimm, Sc.D. Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School Channing Division of Network Medicine Brigham and Woman's Hospital

Jeffrey Ritterman, M.D. Assistant Clinical Coordinator Joint M.S.P.A.S./M.P.H. Touro University

William C. Roberts, M.D. Executive Director, Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute Dean, A. Webb Roberts Center for Continuing Medical Education Editor-in-Chief, The American Journal of Cardiology and Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings

Frank Sacks, M.D., Sc.B. Professor of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Department of Nutrition Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D. Director Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity University of Connecticut

Meir Stampfer, M.D., Dr.P.H. Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Assoc Director, Channing Division of Network Medicine Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Lyn Steffen, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D. Associate Professor of Epidemiology University of Minnesota School of Public Health Division of Epidemiology and Community Health

Mary Story, Ph.D., R.D. Professor of Global Health and Community and Family Medicine Duke University

Y. Claire Wang, M.D., Sc.D. Associate Professor, Health Policy & Management, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Jean Welsh, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N. Assistant Professor School of Medicine Emory University

Walter Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H., M.P.H. Frederick John Stare Professor and Department Chair Department of Nutrition Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Professor, Department of Medicine Harvard Medical School

Jake Williams, M.S. Executive Director Healthier Colorado

Grace Wyshak, Ph.D. Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Professor of Biostatistics and Global Health and Population Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Biostatistics and Global Health and Population

Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., R.D. Adjunct professor of Nutrition, New York University

Jeff Zayach, M.S. Executive Director Boulder County Colorado Public Health