Federal Agencies Work in Concert to Prevent Food Marketing to Children

Federal Agencies Work in Concert to Prevent Food Marketing to Children
By Helen Whalen Cohen
4/28/2011

Nudge update: word got out today (Thursday morning) that the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration are colluding to stop the food industry from marketing junk food to children.

The federal government proposed new guidelines Thursday that urge the food industry to market only healthy foods to children.

The proposal recommends foods marketed to children should “provide a meaningful contribution to a healthy diet,” containing either fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk or lean proteins. The guidelines also urge food companies to stop targeting children with ads for foods with high levels of saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium.

What happened to parents deciding what their kids eat? Or is American society today such that the federal government is needed to help raise children?

The AP reports that these changes are not mandatory, and will be strong-armed phased in over five years. They will be up for public comment this summer are needed "to encourage a marketing environment that supports, rather than undermines, parents' efforts to get their children to eat more healthfully."