A study by Barry Popkin, Ph.D., published in November 2003's issue of Obesity Research, overlooks the importance of balancing fitness and nutrition to combat obesity. The Corn Refiners Association Inc., which represents American companies that produce high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a widely-used corn-based sweetener, issued the following statement in response to Popkin's study: “America's obesity problem is a complex issue that can be traced to numerous factors, the most important of which are a major lack of physical activity concurrent with a large increase in daily consumption of calories. Experts agree that the best way to combat obesity is by achieving a balance between fitness and nutrition.”
According to a paper published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (1998;98:580), “Excess body fat (obesity) arises from the energy imbalance caused by taking in too much energy and using too little ... Obesity is a complex problem, and its cause cannot be simply attributed to any one component of the food supply.”