Boulder County Board of Health Resolution Blocks Funding from Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Industries
By Nina Holtz
Earlier this month, the Boulder County Board of Health passed a resolution that blocks BC Public Health from accepting cash and in-kind donations from sugar-sweetened beverage industries.
The resolution arose from the Board’s ethical dilemma of advocating for public health and simultaneously receiving funding from industries that promote the consumption of products that are linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses.
Upon examining the obesity epidemic in the U.S., it’s really important to note that low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionally affected by obesity and other illnesses associated with sugar consumption. This issue of health inequity is complex and caused by a multitude of factors; the obesity epidemic, corporate exploitation, and race and class privilege are all interrelated.
For more information about the BCPH resolution, see the following Daily Camera article: http://www.dailycamera.com/business/ci_29372790/boulder-county-board-health-prohibit-use-beverage-industry
Here’s a couple of resources about health inequity and obesity in communities of color and low-income communities:
http://stateofobesity.org/disparities/
http://thefoodtrust.org/uploads/media_items/grocerygap.original.pdf
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/report/2010/06/14/7908/the-significance-of-childhood-obesity-in-communities-of-color/
