It’s time to regulate advertising of high-sugar ‘food’ to kids
June 28, 2012
By Rita R. Robison
Many times, I’ve written about the need to regulate fat, salt, and sugar in food to help curb the obesity epidemic and improve the health of Americans.
The voluntary programs undertaken by food companies and federal agencies aren’t working.
Two news items this week point out strongly why this action is needed:
- Quebec’s 32-year ban on fast food advertising found that people in that province bought less junk food and their children tend to weigh less than their North American counterparts, a study by the Sauder School of Business shows.
- General Mills, Kellogg's, and Post spend an average of $156 million per year in marketing children's cereals.
It’s painful to watch obese children and teens deal with weight and health issues.
Diabetes is a devastating disease. I know, because it runs in my family. I’ve seen how it damages the body. Diabetes it is skyrocketing among youth.
Tell your members of Congress and the Obama administration that you want advertising to children regulated.
Even the work of the Interagency Working Group on Food Marketed to Children, which has been charged with creating voluntary guidelines for foods marketed to kids, is being blocked.
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