Why is it important for PepsiCo to be at ICN? Historically, the mission of addressing hunger/obesity has been the province of governments, NGOs and nonprofits. The world has dramatically changed and we all have a responsibility and an opportunity to participate in finding a solution. When I say “we,” I refer to academics, nutritionists, clinical scientists and, yes, to food companies like PepsiCo. As one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, we believe it is our responsibility to understand the diverse nutrition needs of populations around the world and to consequently offer a wide range of food, snacks and beverages that address those needs. Attending meetings as the International Congress of Nutrition is a key step in that understanding process, as we can use this unique opportunity to connect with peers, with colleagues, and with young research scientists from around the world. What can PepsiCo... Read more

I’ve been a practicing physician for 27 years specializing in endocrinology, diabetes and nutrition including many years spent at the University of MN and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, as well as serving as R&D President of a major pharmaceutical company. When the opportunity was presented to become PepsiCo’s first-ever Chief Scientific Officer, I was intrigued. Upon meeting with Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo chairman and CEO, I knew that combined with the companies strengths and vision I could make a unique contribution to one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. PepsiCo is a global company truly committed to making a positive impact on the world’s population faced with serious nutrition challenges, including under-nutrition and obesity. Every day, we act on that commitment through the wide variety of products we offer, the public-private partnerships we lead and engage with and the global health initiatives we actively... Read more

At PepsiCo, we believe that it is our responsibility to understand the diverse nutrition needs of populations around the world and to offer a wide range of food, snacks and beverages that address those needs. To do that, we’re changing the way we innovate. Our overall goal is to deliver more nutrition per calorie in the products we offer and we’re acting on that commitment. The good news is that our products begin with natural goodness – oats, wheat, potatoes, lentils, oranges, apples, nuts and seeds. Think about it. We make some of the world’s favorite brands: Tropicana orange juice and Quaker Oats oatmeal in many countries across the globe, SunChips multi-grain snacks in the U.S., Stila oat and fruit bars in Mexico, Lebedyansky juice in Russia, and we’re the largest seller of packaged nuts and seeds outside the U.S. We’re working to deliver healthier nutrition per calorie... Read more

No one disagrees that obesity is a complex social, economic, health and environmental issue that poses serious health risks. There is significant controversy on the role of business, particularly the food industry, in helping to bring solutions to this complex issue. As part of our business practices, PepsiCo believes it is our responsibility to address diet and health concerns working alongside government, NGOs and other global companies, as it requires a collective effort to effectively reduce the health risks of individuals. In our continued and ever-growing ‘Performance with Purpose’ platform, our CEO, Indra Nooyi, remains committed to the principles of public-private partnerships within best business practices. PepsiCo has made steady progress in addressing the issues surrounding obesity by continual enhancement of our portfolio. There are many examples of this including the introduction of new products that offer improved nutrition. We continue to reduce portion sizes and... Read more

When I left the World Health Organization in 2005 for Yale School of Public Health, I thought that I would not have to return to WHO/FAO technical report 916 except to teach aspiring public health students about it. I was so wrong. The report took two years to complete. Its bland number and boring cover hide the power of its simple messages and the complexity and broad based partnerships it will take to implement them. It set out to document the optimal diets and level of physical activity populations required to minimize their lifelong risks for a range of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. This required bringing together experts from around the world to sift through the cumulative wisdom of many and distill their ideas into a set of science-based nutrient and activity specific conclusions about what we should eat more or less... Read more

One billion people in the world are hungry. That’s right, 1,000,000,000.   For most, the figure is so large it simply numbs the mind. It appears vague and inaccurate. It strikes them as sensationalism or blatant propaganda. For most, the figure is often and easily dismissed. For those one billion individuals however, the consequences of dismissal are enormous and range from diminished intellectual development of children to reduced economic productivity of communities and nations. Those most affected are very young, often rural, very often women and typically marginalized in society.  They lack the energy to organize for themselves. They lack the voice to call for change or the power to mandate it. Here’s the hard truth — one billion hungry people are relying on people like you and me to reach out and support efforts to address their most basic need for food. I for one am eager to help. I’m passionate about the issue... Read more

The evidence is now clear. Weight gain leading to obesity and through this, to diabetes and heart disease, represents a relatively new and global threat to health at exactly the same time that infectious disease and tobacco control strategies are having an impact. Calls for action have been issued by governments from all parts of the world. And non-governmental organizations urge tougher controls on marketing of certain foods to kids. I have had the opportunity to sit through debates on the best way forward led by WHO, academics, companies and NGOs. Each believes in their solution. Each gives priority to factors often not under their control. Few have tried to formally map out with clarity what is likely to work and who is best placed to implement effective actions. An important exception was the work of the United Kingdom’s Foresight team (http://www.foresight.gov.uk/OurWork/ActiveProjects/Obesity/Obesity.asp). They avoided a tendency to... Read more