Exclusive: Is the ADA Dropping its Corporate Sponsors?

[Guest guest]

http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2011/01/15/exclusive-is-the-ada-considering-droppi\

ng-its-corporate-sponsors

We’ve just learned from several dietitians about an online survey the American

Dietetic Association <http://eatright.org/> is circulating among its 70,000

strong membership, focusing on RDs attitudes about the organization’s

corporate sponsorship program. You know – taking money from big food

companies and pretending it doesn’t matter. Current sponsors include The

Coca Cola Company, PepsiC0, Mars, Hershey - purveyors of healthy foods and

beverages that make America the healthiest, slimmest nation in the world…

From the survey:

- *Are you aware that ADA has a Corporate Relations Sponsorship program?

Yes/No*

- *Would you say, knowing that an organization or brand is an ADA Partner

or Premier Sponsor, that you would feel that they are an organization or

brand you would value … More / Less / No different … than other

organizations or brands?*

Some of the questions seem a bit loaded:

*How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? *

- *The Coca-Cola Company promotes ADA members as the experts when it

comes to helping people eat well and stay healthy.

*

- *The Coca-Cola Company has taken a leadership role in communicating

information about beverage science and innovation, as well as educating

consumers about factual, science-based nutrition information. *

Who cares? The point is it should not be a sponsor.

It’s a lengthy survey that seems to be doing everything it can to explain

the benefits of the partnerships. Thankfully though, it does conclude with a

clear question on the sponsorship issue:

*From what you know, how do you feel about ADA’s Corporate Relations

Sponsorship program in general?

Strongly approve / Somewhat approve / No opinion / unsure / Somewhat

disapprove / Strongly disapprove*

*What you need to know:*

Fooducate’s

position<http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2010/07/20/only-in-america-candy-maker-to\

-sponsor-our-dietary-advice-thanks-hershey/>is

well known. Taking money from Coke, PepsiCo, and Hershey portends

serious

credibility issues for the organization. Many RDs agree and we’re glad

enough of them have raised a red flag that has led to this survey. Hopefully

the results will lead to an ADA policy change.

The funny thing is that all the sponsorship money adds up to less than 10%

of the ADA’s total funding. With a little “kvetch” and some creativity, the

ADA can easily overcome this and feel more free than ever to give clear cut

advice such as:

Skip the soft drinks. Drink Tap water. Eat a bag of chips once a month. Dark

chocolate is good, one tiny square a day at most. Moderation means a rare

treat, not a daily snack….

We have emailed the ADA and are hoping to hear directly from them on the

matter.