American Academy of Family Physician Ads Feature Unhealthy Products

Jan. 27, 2010— -- Have a Coke and... some salt?

How about with some fat?

Brought to you by family medicine.

The American Academy of Family Physicians has again launched itself into murky ethical waters, this time ads for products that are high in salt and in fat.

The association, to which I belong, was widely criticized two months ago for accepting money in "the strong six figures" to partner with Coca Cola.

The purpose of this "funding" was for the AAFP to develop soft drink education so that consumers could "make informed decisions" about soft drink use "based on individual need."

The response to the AAFP included a critical letter to the AAFP from nationally esteemed nutritionists, the condemnation by the California Academy of Family Physicians -- a state affiliate -- and the well-publicized resignations of a number of physicians.

Nonetheless, the AAFP stuck to its guns, and has kept the Coca Cola Alliance in place. At a Dec. 11 meeting, the AAFP board decided -- despite near universal condemnation from dozens of health advocates and advocacy groups -- to continue the Coke partnership.

Now they are at it again, this time with sodium. And this time, we are talking about heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

The New England Journal of Medicine published a study on Jan. 20 that suggests lowering the nation's daily sodium intake to 1,200 mg (or 3 grams of salt) could reduce heart disease by 120,000 cases annually; heart attacks by 99,000; and strokes by 66,000.

Dr. Kirsten Bibbens-Domingo and colleagues from the University of California, San Francisco, used computer modeling based on population studies. They found not only a reduction in heart disease and stroke. Amazingly, they also found that the cost savings would approach $24 billion annually.

Indeed, the authors note, "Such an intervention would be cost-saving even if only a modest reduction ... were achieved gradually between 2010 and 2019 and would be more cost-effective than using medications to lower blood pressure in all persons with hypertension."