Drinks company funded studies reject links between soft drinks and diabetes, experts say
Only one of 27 pieces of research funded by drinks firms manage to make a link with obesity and diabetes
SOFT drinks firms were last night accused of “manipulating” obesity studies so they are not blamed for the growing fat crisis.
Experts claims studies funded by the fizzy drinks industry are less likely to blame downing sugary drinks for obesity and diabetes.
Just one of 27 pieces of research funded by drinks firms made a link between obesity and diabetes, a University of California review of 60 studies from the last 15 years found.
They said 33 non-industry-funded studies found a link.
Gavin Partington, from the British Soft Drinks Association, said: “The World Health Organisation clearly states that the fundamental cause of obesity is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended.
“Experts in diabetes agree that Type 2 diabetes is the result of many factors including family history and lifestyle factors such as an overall unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
But Dr Dean Schillinger from the University of California accused the industry of “manipulating contemporary scientific processes to create controversy and advance their business interests at the expense of the public’s health.”