A Cautionary Tale of Warning Messages on Food Products: The Case of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Authors: Richard Kahn
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2018)

Ideas and Opinions1 May 2018A Cautionary Tale of Warning Messages on Food Products: The Case of Sugar-Sweetened BeveragesRichard Kahn, PhDRichard Kahn, PhDUniversity of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (R.K.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M17-2659 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail One of government's major interests is to protect the health of its citizens, an obligation fulfilled in part by requiring warning messages on substances that may pose a substantial health risk to consumers. Well-known warning messages appear on all tobacco packages and alcohol containers. When first required by Congress, the cigarette warning was nuanced: “Smoking may be hazardous to your health.” As scientific evidence mounted, the warning became more specific about the hazards of smoking and was extended to all tobacco products. The label on alcohol containers has always warned that pregnant women “risk birth defects” from consuming any alcoholic ...References1. Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of Supreme Court, 471 U.S. 626 (1985). Google Scholar2. American Beverage Association et al v. City and County of San Francisco, No. 3:15-cv-03415-EMC N.D. Cal. Civ. (2015). Google Scholar3. American Beverage Association et al v. City and County of San Francisco, No. 3:15-cv-03415-EMC N.D. Cal. Civ. (2015) (expert report of Walter Willett). Google Scholar4. American Beverage Association et al v. City and County of San Francisco, No.16-16072 (9th Cir. 2017). Google Scholar5. Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Label, 79 Fed. Reg. 11879, 11904 (2014). Google Scholar6. Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplemental Facts Label, 81 Fed. Reg. 33741, 33829 (2016). Google Scholar7. Kahn R, Sievenpiper JL. Dietary sugar and body weight: have we reached a crisis in the epidemic of obesity and diabetes? We have, but the pox on sugar is overwrought and overworked. Diabetes Care. 2014;37:957-62. [PMID: 24652726] doi:10.2337/dc13-2506 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Sievenpiper JL. Sickeningly sweet: does sugar cause chronic disease? No. Can J Diabetes. 2016;40:287-95. [PMID: 27497149] doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2016.05.006 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (R.K.)Note added in proof: Regarding American Beverage Association et al v. City and County of San Francisco (4), upon petition by the City, the 9th Circuit court agreed on 29 January 2018 to re-hear the case with 11 judges instead of 3.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M17-2659.Corresponding Author: Richard Kahn, PhD; e-mail, [email protected]com.Author Contributions: Conception and design: R. Kahn.Drafting of the article: R. Kahn.Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: R. Kahn.Final approval of the article: R. Kahn.This article was published at Annals.org on 13 February 2018. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 May 2018Volume 168, Issue 9Page: 668-669KeywordsAlcoholsBeveragesCohort studiesDietDisclosureFoodObesityPrevention, policy, and public healthType 2 diabetesWeight gain ePublished: 13 February 2018 Issue Published: 1 May 2018 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2018 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...