While I was busy spending the day dashing back and forth to Philadelphia for a taping of the popular Comcast TV show, "Seeking Solutions With Suzanne" — which you’ll hear more about later — my research assistant and blog contributor Jennifer Moore came up with this item about another athlete pushing sugary foods. What gives with these ball players? Can’t they find something more healthy to promote? Here’s Jennifer’s post:
The ever-provocative Mike Adams, editor of the informative, opinionated health website NewsTarget, recently wrote an article that takes another celebrity sugar-endorser to task.
You see, Adams — whom Connie interviewed recently on her Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show — isn’t pleased that Eli Manning, quarterback of the just-crowned Super Bowl champion New York Giants, appears in numerous commercials peddling Oreos.
"While Manning’s on-the-field victory was monumental, his off-the-field promotional choices have so far been nothing short of shameful," Adams fumes.
"He may be a football hero today, but until Manning decides to more carefully choose which products to promote to his fans, he will only be a shamed junk food promoter playing a highly influential role in the continued destruction of the health of the very people who made him famous: His fans."
Wow! Adams isn’t shy about letting us know what he thinks, is he?
As a mother to an impressionable five-year-old girl, I am concerned about commercials on television influencing her desires (though I worry more about her wanting more and more toys as opposed to sugary snacks — thankfully, she’s not a huge fan of most sweets). So she doesn’t watch any commercial TV programs, and I’m sure I’m not the only parent with that rule in my home.
That said, I’m not entirely convinced that people will run out and
buy Oreos just because Eli Manning (along with his famous brother, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning) does ads for them. (At least, I hope not!)
Food corporations and their celebrity pitch people care much more
about their bottom lines than our waistlines, which unfortunately are
ever-expanding, so I can certainly understand Adams’ outrage.
The good news is we don’t need to wait around for star athletes to
decide to promote higher-quality products. People can empower
themselves to make better food choices. And they can teach their kids
that while Manning may be a great athlete who’s fun to watch on a
football field, he’s not qualified to decide what’s OK for anyone to
eat.
Jennifer Moore for SUGAR SHOCK! Blog