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Coke: A target for public health

Sarah Shannon, Hesperian Foundation, 1919 Addison St., #304, Berkeley, CA 94704, 510-845-1447, sarahs@hesperian.org

From efforts to keep Coca-Cola and other soft drinks out of US school cafeterias, to international public health concerns about the marketing of soft drinks and junk food contributing to obesity and poor nutrition for children and from human and labor rights violations in Colombia where workers trying to organize unions at Coca-Cola bottling plants have been harassed and assassinated, to the devastation of water and environmental resources in rural India, and high pesticide concentrations in Coca-Cola marketed throughout India. We find that there is a growing international campaign to protest the marketing of Coca-Cola and to boycott their products.

Using the case study of Coca-Cola, Sarah Shannon will examine concerns about corporate influence on public health and nutrition policy in the US and abroad, and describe the efforts of the People's Health Movement both in the US and internationally to address the human rights violations and health consequences of one of the largest forces in corporate led globalization. She will address concerns from communities world-wide and talk about the mechanism of protest that has been used in these various communities.

Learning Objectives:

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Controlling What We Eat: 21st Century Harvests of Shame

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA