Soda giants fund health groups but fight them too

Coca-Cola and Pepsi, the two major US soda giants, have given millions of dollars to health organizations while quietly fighting anti-obesity measures such as taxes on soft drinks, a new study shows.

The Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo, from 2011 to 2015, sponsored 96 national health organizations battling public health problems such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, said the research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

During the same period, the two companies lobbied against 29 public health bills intended to reduce soda consumption or improve nutrition.