Childhood Obesity Must Be Reversed

The UK is planning targeted reductions in sugars in processed foods. What's the US going to do?

FoodNavigator reports that Public Health England is taking on—what a concept!— calories as a means to prevent childhood obesity. The UK is planning targeted reductions in sugars in processed foods.

It will be looking at ready-to-serve meals, pizzas, burgers, savory snacks, and sandwiches in an effort to help children cut back on the excess 200-300 calories a day they are currently consuming.

The food industry doesn’t like this: bans on advertising sugary foods to kids are “choking the industry.”

As for the United States, the CDC has just published the latest data on obesity in adults and children. Here’s the bottom line…we have an epidemic on our hands globally and here in the US when it comes to childhood obesity. We are not reversing the trend – it is increasing. It is time for all the food companies to work on reducing sugar, fat and calories especially in the foods our kids eat. And most importantly to stop – or at least curb – advertising these foods to kids. And that includes stopping tie ins with movies that are popular with this group – perhaps except on fruits and vegetables?