http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/176553.aspx
WASHINGTON - Kellogg Co., the world's largest cereal maker, has agreed to raise the nutritional value of cereals and snacks it markets to children.
The Battle Creek, Mich., company avoided a lawsuit threatened by parents and nutrition advocacy groups worried about increasing child obesity. Kellogg intends to formally announce its decision Thursday.
Basically, they got blackmailed. "Do exactly as we say, or we'll sue you into oblivion." And even if they won, it could've taken years, and cost millions of dollars that they'd never recoup. This is basically all "advocacy" groups do. They demand corporations bend to their will and tie up the others (who tell them where to shove it) in court for years, if not decades.
The company said it won't promote foods in TV, radio, print or Web site ads that reach audiences at least half of whom are under age 12 unless a single serving of the product meets these standards:
-No more than 200 calories.
-No trans fat and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat.
-No more than 230 milligrams of sodium, except for Eggo frozen waffles.
-No more than 12 grams of sugar, not counting sugar from fruit, dairy and vegetables.
Kellogg said it would reformulate products to meet these criteria or stop marketing them to children under 12 by the end of 2008.
"By committing to these nutrition standards and marketing reforms, Kellogg has vaulted over the rest of the food industry," said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "This commitment means that parents will find it a little easier to steer their children toward healthy food choices - especially if other food manufacturers and broadcasters follow Kellogg's lead."
No doubt if they don't they'll be sued.
But let's look at this nonsense: "This commitment means that parents will find it a little easier to steer their children toward healthy food choices - especially if other food manufacturers and broadcasters follow Kellogg's lead."
As it is now, if you look at the side of the box, there is a nice little Nutrition Facts box that tells you how many Calories, grams of Sugar, etc are in the product. Parents that buy these products already have all the information they need to say "Wow, this crap is loaded with sugar. I won't buy it for my kid." But they can't be bothered to monitor what is going into their kids' mouths. You know what that's called? Negligent parenting.
That two parents filed this lawsuit in conjunction with the Center, shows that they just don't feel they should take responsibility for buying their kids crap.
Earlier this month, a Federal Trade Commission study found that half the ads for junk food, sugary cereals and soft drinks are on children's programs, double the percentage 30 years ago. Children between ages 2 and 11 saw approximately 5,500 food ads on television in 2004, half of them on kids' shows with audiences of 50 percent children or greater.
But at the end of the day, who buys the products? Parents.
It's no new idea that Soda isn't particularly great for, well, anyone. And massive ammounts of sugar as well.
Heaven forbid that the people who are soley responsible for what food is bought, how it is prepared, what their children's dietary needs are, etc. take responsibility for making those decisions. We need to start hitting parents who willingly admit that they are either feeding their kids unhealthy food, or that they're not paying attention to what's in their children's food with a massive fine. That will discourage this stupidity in the future.
But the money quote:
American companies spend about $15 billion a year marketing and advertising to children under age 12, the Institute of Medicine said last year when it warned that one-third of American children are obese or at risk for becoming obese.
But that's the Parent's fault for feeding it to the children. An Oreo a day will cause no adverse side effects. A small glass of soda with dinner causes no problems either (as long as the kid ain't diabetic). Nothing is truly bad in moderation. But handing the kid a two leter and a package of cookies so they can get out of your hair and watch TV...isn't teaching the kid to eat in moderation. Substitute a couple of salads in place of Big Macs.
The "epidemic" of childhood obesity is due to bad parents giving their kids fast food instead of healthy eating, and not encouraging them to exercise.
But heaven forbid that anyone suggest the parents do THEIR job.
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