New study once again questions artificial sweeteners – National Consumers League

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A new study forces us to once again question the safety of consuming artificial sweeteners. A study published last week in the journal Nature provides evidence suggesting diet soda could negatively impact gut microbes leading to glucose resistance and ultimately Type 2 diabetes. The results of the study add weight to the theory that artificial sweeteners might trick the brain, confusing how the body processes sugar.  

In the study, mice fed artificial sweeteners (sucralose, saccharin and aspartame) developed glucose intolerance. The researchers then tested their theory on humans. They found that some individuals showed changes in blood glucose levels after a week of exposure to artificial sweeteners, with a few reaching pre-diabetic levels in just days. If this research is demonstrated in other studies, it could impact how we perceive diabetes risk.

The experiments showed that artificial sweeteners altered gut bacteria possibly leading to glucose intolerance.  Each person’s microbiome is different so artificial sweeteners likely will not have the same effect on everyone. It remains unclear exactly how bacteria in the gut react to artificial sweeteners and why they affect some people more than others. Researchers suspect bacteria that regulates glucose may be pushed out by artificial sweeteners explaining why some individuals weren’t as able to process glucose.

While these are striking findings, it’s important to remember one study alone does not yield enough evidence to prove a theory. Science moves slowly and takes time to establish accepted conclusions. This study does, however, open the door to future research about the effects artificial sweeteners have on bacteria in the gut. Our microbiomes have been the subject of quite a bit of fuss lately, see here and here and here. When indulging in soda, diet or otherwise, do so only occasionally opting instead for unsweetened tea or water.  

Soda companies cut calories – National Consumers League

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September 24, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC-  The Clinton Global Initiative announced this week that three of the biggest soft drink producers, Pepsi Co, Coca-Cola, and Dr Pepper Snapple Group, would aim to reduce calories consumed from sweetened beverages 20 percent by 2025. While the National Consumers League (NCL) is pleased to learn that the soda industry is committed to reducing calorie consumption, this announcement falls short.

“We appreciate that big soda is acknowledging the many negative consequences of empty calories that contribute to America’s obesity epidemic, but this commitment alone isn’t nearly enough to improve the nation’s health.” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL. “To have a lasting and meaningful positive impact on public health, far tougher measures are needed such as a national soda tax.”

This decision comes as beverage industry sales for both artificially sweetened and regular soft drinks are falling. The soft drink producers do not intend to change or reduce the amount of calories in soda, but rather plan to sell smaller portion sizes and increase promotion of water and other low calorie drinks in an effort to curb soft drink calorie consumption. They also plan to promote calorie awareness on vending machines, an action that is required by the Affordable Care Act.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL commends President’s actions to reduce antibiotic resistance – National Consumers League

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September 18, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL), the country’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, commends the President’s issuance of an Executive Order to combat antibiotic resistance. The order, signed Thursday, establishes a presidential Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, which will be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services (HHS). The Task Force is charged, with a deadline of February 2015, with creating a five-year National Action Plan to reduce antimicrobial resistance.

Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to Americans’ health, causing 23,000 deaths and 2 million illnesses each year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cost of illnesses caused by antimicrobial resistance are estimated to be over $50 billion, with $20 billion lost in health care costs and $35 billion lost in productivity due to hospitalizations and sick days. Antibiotic resistance stems from the overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals.

“Antibiotic resistance is not an issue consumers can afford to take lightly,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “The President’s efforts have come not a moment too soon. It is vital to Americans’ health that actions are taken to track and diminish the increasing amount of antibiotic-resistant bacteria causing illness.”

In conjunction with the Executive Order, the administration also released a National Strategy for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, and the Presidents’ Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is releasing a related report on Combating Antibiotic Resistance.

The Executive Order, the National Strategy for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, and the PCAST report can be found here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

 

A SNAP snapshot – National Consumers League

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The good news is participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is down.  The bad news is that it isn’t even close to pre-financial crisis participation levels.  Since December 2012, the number of Americans receiving SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, has gone down to 46.2 million from a record high of 47.8 million.

Right now any decrease in SNAP is significant because of the steady rise in participation rates since the economic crisis. SNAP is one of the many federal assistance programs, others include Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) that provides assistance to many Americans in need. Seventy percent of SNAP recipients are families with children and over a quarter are seniors or individuals with disabilities.

SNAP provides food benefits to households with a “net income” (or income adjusted for high housing and other permitted deductible costs) at or below 100% of the federal poverty line or for households with a “gross income” (meaning they have no deductions) at or below 130% of the federal poverty line.  The federal poverty line is based on the Poverty Income Ratio, or a threshold set at three times the cost of a minimum food diet in 1963, adjusted for inflation.  This measure of poverty is criticized for its definition of family (people related by blood or marriage), lack of geographic adjustments, and, most importantly, its “head count” approach that only takes into account people who fall below this threshold instead of the actual economic need of U.S. citizens.

A family of four must have a maximum annual income of $23,492 to qualify and the maximum benefits of $632 a month.  Anyone who’s fed a family of four knows that this sum likely will not cover all of the food expenses for a month. This is especially true when feeding children or infants who require more. Despite this, those benefitting from the program stress its importance in maintaining a sense of stability in their life, ultimately lifting them out of financial duress.

Not only do SNAP benefits act as an aid for individuals in financial crisis, but they rejuvenate the economy, generating as much as $9 in economic activity for every $5 spent on SNAP benefits.  With advancements in the job market and SNAP participation declining, the vital role SNAP benefits play in bettering American lives and improving the economy must not be forgotten.

NCL statement on new University of Massachusetts Amherst sociology research examining corporate ratings – National Consumers League

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September 17, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL), America’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, today welcomes newly published research on corporate ratings awards conducted by sociologists Tom Juravich and Essie Ablavsky of the University of Massachusetts Labor Center.  In “The Corporate Rating Sham: The Case of T-Mobile,” Juravich and Ablavsky found that these awards are largely self-serving and neither objective nor scientific.  

“This exposé of these ubiquitous corporate awards is an important service to consumers.  Too often, firms tout their awards as symbols of performance excellence, and too often they are little more than marketing ploys,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director.

According to Juravich and Ablavsky’s findings, the majority of these corporate recognition contests are based on self-nomination and company self-reports with little independent verification of data.  Awards programs lack transparency in the selection and evaluation criteria.  Some of the awards firms also provide consulting services to the very companies they are rating, creating a built-in conflict of interest.

The new research highlights the case of T-Mobile, the fourth-largest mobile service provider in the United States, which claims to be the recipient of at least 47 “best of” awards from 2011 to 2013.  Yet, this is a company that has been a target of concern among Members of Congress, investors, and progressive organizations for its poor treatment of workers, ranging from overbearing and disrespectful management styles, to suppression of workers’ rights. 

“T-Mobile is a good demonstration of what is wrong with corporate recognition awards,” said Greenberg. “The company’s well-known problematic labor practices put these ‘best of’ awards in doubt. A company’s treatment of workers must be a key factor in any ratings process, and awards for quality must not be allowed to mask abusive workplace policies.” 

The full report, “The Corporate Rating Sham: The Case of T-Mobile,” can be viewed here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL applauds Congress for steps to remove children from hazardous tobacco farming – National Consumers League

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September 17, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization, applauds members of Congress who have recently taken action to end the scourge of children working in hazardous tobacco fields. Last week, Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) began circulating a sign-on letter to House members asking the Department of Labor to take narrowly-focused regulatory action to protect children from dangerous tobacco fields, where child farmworkers regularly suffer nicotine poisoning, toxic pesticide exposure, and work at dangerous heights.

“They can’t legally purchase cigarettes, but we permit these children to work in tobacco fields and suffer acute nicotine poisoning,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL and co-chair of the Child Labor Coalition (CLC), which NCL helped found 25 years ago. “We urge Congress to take immediate action to protect America’s most vulnerable workers—children in tobacco fields.”

The concern about children working on tobacco farms is growing. In May, Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented the dangers in a report, Tobacco’s Hidden Children: Hazardous Child Labor in United States Tobacco Farming, finding that of 141 child tobacco workers interviewed in North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, three-quarters reported falling ill. Many of their symptoms—nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, and dizziness—are consistent with acute nicotine poisoning (also known as “Green Tobacco Sickness”).  Exemptions to U.S. child labor law allow children as young as 12—and in some cases even younger—to work long hours in tobacco fields.

“These children are among the nation’s most vulnerable, and we must do more to protect them,” said Rep. Cartwright in his “Dear Colleague” letter to fellow Members.

A bill, HR 5327, introduced by Rep. Cicilline this summer, would classify tobacco as “hazardous oppressive labor”, allowing the U.S. Department of Labor to ban it for those under 18. “It seems to me that exposing young people to those kinds of dangers is something we should prevent,” Cicilline said in an interview.

Also this summer, 17 senators sent a letter to several large tobacco companies asking them to voluntarily ban children from their fields.

The Kentucky-based Council on Burley Tobacco has also taken a public stand on this issue: “We do not condone the hiring of anyone under the age of 16 for work in tobacco anywhere in the world.”

In July, 53 groups signed onto a Child Labor Coalition letter urging the largest tobacco corporations to take voluntary action to ban children from tobacco fields. Last month, in another CLC letter, 50 organizations wrote to President Obama to urge greater protections for child tobacco workers.

“In America today, children who harvest tobacco must protect themselves from nicotine and pesticide residues by wearing plastic garbage bags with holes punched in them for their arms and heads. They are standing in drying barns at heights of 20 feet or more on unbelievably narrow rafters,” said Reid Maki, NCL’s director of child labor advocacy and the coordinator of the CLC. “Exposing children to deplorable working conditions is not in keeping with American values—we are so much better than this as a nation. We applaud Congress for taking steps to protect these vulnerable child workers.”

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

new season – National Consumers League

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LifeSmarts, NCL’s national competition for middle and high school students, launched its 21st season this week. This program teaches students the skills they need to be successful adult consumers in the real world. Every year the national championship is hosted in a different city around the country. In April we will travel to Seattle, Washington to crown a new LifeSmarts champion. This blog was written by Lisa Hertzberg, LifeSmarts program director. 

I love that it’s September and the competition is open for the year!

I love when students tell me how much LifeSmarts means to them.

I love when educators come back year after year – then I know we’re doing something right!

I love writing questions, creating new content, and developing fun new learning activities.

I love the LifeSmarts team – what a nice group of colleagues. We work hard but we enjoy doing this work because we’re lucky – we know our work makes a difference.

I love the opportunity to work across the country – we have wonderful state coordinators and competitors from many different states, and we also get to travel to new cities each year for the National LifeSmarts Championship (Hello, Seattle!).

I love the teams – it is great to watch students come together each year for competition but learn so much about themselves and how fun it is to be a part of a LifeSmarts team.

I love that we work with partners and sponsors who believe in this program and support our work.

I love when students apply what they have learned to their real lives and when they realize, “Hey, I learned that in LifeSmarts!”

I love the personal stories:

  • A coach told me she recruited a boy to her LifeSmarts team who was apathetic about school and talking about dropping out.  LifeSmarts (and a teacher who noticed) got him to graduation instead
  • One competitor told me she was able to help her family save money because she learned they didn’t need the extra insurance they were purchasing for their credit card
  • One student told me he knew to use baking soda on a grease fire that flared up at home
  • And students love to tell me, “my parents didn’t even know that!” when they bring LifeSmarts knowledge home

I love that we make learning fun and that we’ve been doing this now for 20 years.

And I love hearing from you – please drop me a note if you want to tell me what you love about LifeSmarts:  lisah@nclnet.org.

 

NCL letter to Rockefeller on ‘Local Choice’ proposal – National Consumers League

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September 11, 2014

The Honorable John D. Rockefeller IV
Chairman
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate
254 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20002

Re:      “Local Choice” and Communications Act Update

Dear Senator Rockefeller:

On behalf of the National Consumers League[1] (NCL), I am writing to give you our thoughts regarding your and Ranking Member Thune’s “Local Choice” proposal, should it be considered as part of an update to the Communications Act.

NCL has long supported federal policies that would end blackouts of programming stemming from retransmission consent negotiations between broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).[2] We also support additional choice and bill transparency for cable television subscribers.

In addition, we urge the Committee to seek solutions that achieve these goals while also preserving the viability of local broadcasters. Today – the 13th anniversary of September 11, 2001 — we are reminded of the critical role that local television broadcasters play in informing the public during times of crisis. Absent local broadcasters, consumers could be left without a crucial source of information when disasters strike. Enabling universal access to local broadcast stations is, we believe, an essential American value.

We understand that the “Local Choice” amendment to the Satellite Television Access and Viewer Rights Act (STAVRA) will not be considered during this Congress.[3]  We hope that these issues will be part of the discussions surrounding a possible update to the Communications Act. We urge you and your colleagues on the Commerce Committee to seek a solution that both preserves the important role that local broadcasting plays in communities across America while increasing cable bill transparency and ending blackouts.

Sincerely,

Sally Greenberg
Executive Director
National Consumers League

cc:        The Honorable John Thune, Ranking Member

[1] The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is the nation’s pioneering consumer organization.  Our non-profit mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit https://nclnet.org.  

[2] National Consumers League. “Consumers are the ultimate losers in retransmission consent fights,” Press Release. August 6, 2013. Online: https://nclnet.org/consumers_are_ultimate_losers_in_retransmission_consent_fights

[3] Eggerton, John. “Sources: Local Choice Expected to Be Pulled from STAVRA,” Broadcasting & Cable. September 9, 2014. Online: https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/sources-local-choice-expected-be-pulled-stavra/133838

NCL statement applauding FCC action on Sports Blackout Rule – National Consumers League

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September 9, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC—The following statement is attributable to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League:

Every fall, football fans across the nation run the risk of missing their favorite games because of an outdated Sports Blackout Rule that exists only to pad the bottom line of wealthy NFL team owners. Under this forty-year old rule, games can be blocked on television in local markets unless the games are sold out. The FCC should not be in the position of propping up ticket sales through an arbitrary, anti-fan rule designed for a bygone era.

Three years ago, NCL and other groups petitioned the FCC to end the Rule. Today we applaud FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler for taking the pro-consumer step of scheduling a vote to do so later this month. We urge all five Commissioners to listen to the voices public interest advocates, sports fans from across the county, academics, businesses and Members of Congress and vote to eliminate this anti-consumer rule.

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Student financial literacy competition opens 2014-15 season – National Consumers League

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September 9, 2014

Contact: NCL Communications Ben Klein, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – Today marks the official launch of the 21st season of LifeSmarts, with a new competition going live at the online home of the program, LifeSmarts.org. LifeSmarts, a program of the National Consumers League (NCL), is a national competition for middle school and high school students that tests knowledge of real-life consumer issues and aims to create a future generation of savvy-consumer adults.

“We are very excited to launch our 21st season of LifeSmarts,” said Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “LifeSmarts gives students the skills they need to succeed as adults. The knowledge they gain will help them make smart decisions and avoid financial pitfalls when they hit the real-world.”

LifeSmarts focuses on five main content areas: consumer rights and responsibilities, personal finance, technology, health and safety, and the environment. Students are quizzed on their knowledge of these subject areas during online competition. Top-performing teams then advance to statewide competitions, and state champion teams advance to the national championship held each year in a different American city. The 2015 National LifeSmarts Championship will take place April 17-20, 2015, in Seattle, WA. Winning teams receive scholarships and other prizes.

Last year, students answered more than 3 million consumer questions about credit reports, recycling, nutrition, social media, state lemon laws, and everything in between. By being consumer savvy and quick on the buzzers, the LifeSmarts team from Valley Regional High School in Canaan, NH, took home top honors last April at the 20th anniversary national event at Walt Disney World.

“We are excited to continue to grow the LifeSmarts program into new states and regions, to educate students about financial literacy and being responsible consumers, and to create a new generation of savvy, market-ready consumers and workers,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL. “Too often traditional high school curriculum fails to teach students vital information that will be crucial once students go to college, get their first job, or move out of their parents’ house.”

In addition to hosting the official LifeSmarts competition, LifeSmarts.org provides resources for teachers to supplement existing lesson plans. These include daily quizzes, educational videos, social media competitions, focused study guides, and scholarship opportunities. LifeSmarts lessons closely align with courses taught in Family and Consumer Sciences, business, technology, health, and vocational education. Math and English teachers have also had success with LifeSmarts, as have homeschool and community educators.

“The information is so practical,” says Lois Johnson, a Minnesota teacher who has been coaching LifeSmarts for 17 years. “You can take algebra or geometry and learn some stuff, but I tell my students, ‘I’m going to be teaching you things you’ll actually be using.’ It’s survival.”

Major LifeSmarts contributors include: UL, Visa, Experian, Western Union, Google, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Comcast, Microsoft, Toyota Financial Services, Amazon.com, American Express, CBM Credit Education Foundation, and others. 

Visit LifeSmarts.org for more information. LifeSmarts: Learn it. Live it.

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About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email  lifesmarts@nclnet.org, or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.