91 - The United States of Soda-When Soft Drink Consumption Affects Consumer Health Outcomes

The recent, and now withdrawn, Pepsi commercial, brings attention to another fact of unsavory soda marketing practices: increasing healthcare disparities in underserved neighborhoods. African American and Hispanic youth are disproportionately targeted by soft drink companies with ads promoting nutritionally poor, sugar-filled drinks conveniently located in neighborhood corner stores. One 12 oz drink contains more than the recommended daily amount of added sugar for adults per the American Heart Association recommendations. We discuss the recent commercial and the disparate marketing budgets of soft drink companies versus public health organizations.