Bad science bogey
WHO has time and again said that the strategy is based on scientific evidence, successful campaigns against NCDs in several countries and on recommendations from health and nutrition experts from across the globe. But the sugar and food industry and their lobbyists have tried to discredit the strategy by saying that any link between obesity and diet is bad science. Civic groups say the same tactic is used by the tobacco industry, which says there is no clear evidence to show smoking affects health.
TRS 916 was based on epidemiological studies which said populations eating foods having little sugar and fat were healthier. The report cited South Korea, where communities eating traditional diet rich in vegetables had a lower incidence of chronic diseases. But though these studies of the WHO proved that high-density foods lead to obesity and NCDs, they didn't directly prove that sugar or fat cause these diseases.
Standing in support of the food and sugar industry is the US government, whose Department of Health and Human services in 2003 produced a 28-page response to TRS 916, which accuses the strategy of "lack of transparency in the scientific and peer-review process'.
US Senators Larry E Craig and John Breaux, co-chairpersons of the Senate Sweetener Caucus and lobbyists for the Sugar Association, USA, last year wrote to Tommy Thompson, health and human services secretary, to persuade WHO to "cease further promotion' of the strategy. The two senators have even said that the US should stop making its annual US $406-million contribution to WHO unless it provided better evidence to link bad food with health.
"We recommend the strategy be voted against by members of the WHA. We are opposed to misguided health policies such as the existing draft WHO global strategy which is not supported by the totality of science,' says Andrew Briscoe, president and chief executive officer of the Sugar Association. To weaken WHO's strategy, the sugar industry has touted a report by the Washington-based Institute of Medicine which says that sugar can form 25 per cent of daily diet. But Harvey V Fineberg, president of Institute of Medicine, has made it clear that this is a total misinterpretation of facts. The institute's report says that if a person takes 25 per cent or more added sugars daily, he or she may be not getting enough essential nutrients.
Continuing with this bad science tirade, William Steiger, special assistant to USA's secretary for international affairs, in February 2004 sent his comments on the strategy to WHO's director general. Steiger heavily edited and diluted the strategy and called for weaker and vague approaches like "better data and surveillance, and the promotion of sustainable strategies that focus on energy balance, individual responsibility, and strong public health approaches.'
WHO strongly denies that its recommendations can't stand scientific scrutiny. "Those who say that the report is unscientific are themselves unscientific. In fact, several independent expert bodies have come to the same conclusions as the scientists behind TRS 916,' says Kaare R Norum, chairperson of WHO's reference group for the global strategy on diet, physical activity and health. Faced by these criticisms, TRS916's
recommendations were dropped from the WHO strategy.
Industry creates scare
In this propaganda, the industry cries