Should soda makers have to warn you about sugar? One man holds Coca-Cola responsible for his diabetes. Is the company at fault, or is he? - Backtalk

Natural Health, April, 2002 by Amanda Lydon

HANS-JOSEF BRINKMANN, A judge in Neubrandenburg, Germany, recently sued Coca-Cola Germany for failing to warn people that its soda's high sugar content could lead to disease. Brinkmann, 46, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1998 after having consumed two Cokes a day for about four years. (Type 2 diabetes results from an imbalance in the sugar-regulating hormone insulin.) Brinkmann says food makers should be responsible for the health effects of their products.

There's no proof that excessive sugar intake causes diabetes. But eating too much sugar can lead to obesity, a major risk factor for the illness, according to the American Diabetes Association.

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