Soda bans and research misapplications


To be honest, I didn’t put much more thought in to it.  I saw the studies about people eating more from large containers floating around, but I dismissed on the basis that (like with the vending machine theory) they were skipping a crucial step.  Even if this ban got people to drink less soda, that doesn’t actually prove it would reduce obesity.  You have to prove all the steps in the series to prove the conclusion.


Banning larger sizes is a visible and controversial idea. If it fails, no one will trust that the next big — and perhaps better — idea will work, because “Look what happened in New York City.” It poisons the water for ideas that may have more potential.


In essence, by removing the random element and forcibly replacing what people want with something the don’t, you frequently will have the worst possible effect: rebellion.


When the researchers you’re trying to use to back yourself up start protesting your policies, you know you got it all wrong.

3 thoughts on “Soda bans and research misapplications

  1. I drink no more than several bottles of diet soda a month. Cold water does fine the rest of the time. The Mayor has forgotten a rule of management: pick your battles. Government can't do it all, and when it tries to do it all, it makes things worse for everyone.

    The only time I was tempted to drink large amounts of calorie-laden soda was when I was working on an oil drilling rig in the Guatemalan jungle. Working outside in 90+ degree heat for 12 hours a day will build up a thirst. What led me to drink cold water instead of soda was hearing from a co-worker that he had gained ten pounds from drinking sodas on the previous four week hitch.


  2. Gringo – the only time in my life I drank lots of soda was when I was training for a marathon. After my longer runs I'd typically go out to eat somewhere, an water just wasn't what I wanted. When I stopped training, I had no more soda cravings.

    Not quite oil drilling in a jungle, but the gist tends to be the same.

    Now I generally go for unsweetened ice tea.


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