The 20/20 episode on the struggles, poverty, drugs, and neglect that the people in Eastern Kentucky face in their daily lives was heart breaking, particulary for a population that lives in a country such as the US and a land of plenty. But more outrageous was what the documentary revealed about the people's addiction to drinking Mountain Dew, feeding it to toddlers instead of milk, and the health ramifications for children and adults teeth. And still more outrageous was the PepsiCO response to the show: Instead of revising the content of their toxic soda drink to ut down on people's adiction and the epidemic, they are sponsering a mobile dentist clinic to eastern Kentucky.
In other words, PepsiCO goal is: keep people spending money buying our detrimental products, drinking terrible sugar loaded sodas, sustain their addiction, and we will treat their teeth so that they keep on buying and drinking.
The consumerist (Feb.12): "Central Appalachia is the number one spot in America for tooth decay to due to their poor diet, lack of access to dental care, and widespread addiction to Mountain Dew. They say it's used as a kind of anti-depressant, thanks to its high-caffeine and sugar levels. Good Morning America visited and found they even put it in baby bottles. Some 2-year olds have 12 cavities in their baby teeth. They discovered an 11-year old Dew-drinker boy who hadn't brushed his teeth in several weeks because they hurt too much. Crazy to think that's what acid, sugar and caffeine will do to your teeth when combined with a bad diet and little in the way of dentist visits." Read more.
Read more at ABC News (Feb.13) on Mobile Clinic Treats 'Mountain Dew Mouth'.
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