Small steps forward on obesity

July 26, 2007

BIT BY BIT, the institutions of American society are addressing obesity in children. It's still not enough, but 11 food companies deserve praise for deciding last week to voluntarily restrict their advertising of unhealthy foods. And to its credit, the House Agriculture Committee voted to expand efforts to put fruit and vegetable snacks in schools.

The companies, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Kellogg's, and McDonald's, agreed to end advertising of foods with little nutritional value to children under 12. That means no more commercials for General Mills' Trix cereal on children's programs unless the sugar content is reduced. And McDonald's won't be advertising cheeseburgers on children's TV -- only the less fattening Happy Meals with apple slices and Chicken McNuggets or a hamburger.

Kraft Foods led the way on these voluntary guidelines in 2005, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest pressed the other companies to follow suit. The Council of Better Business Bureau will monitor the marketing plans of all 11 companies.

The voluntary rules do have significant gaps. High-sugar foods such as Frosted Flakes and Cocoa Puffs can still be marketed to children because they meet federal nutritional guidelines, and the new policies do not affect advertising on shows that appeal to both children and adults.

The 11 companies might have acted to preempt the work of a federal task force, led by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin and Senators Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, and Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa.

Harkin, the Senate Agriculture Committee chairman, has been a leader in using federal farm policies to enhance children's nutrition. In 2002 he proposed a program to encourage schools to offer fruit and vegetable snacks. The program is now available at 374 schools in 14 states.

Harkin wants to expand the program as part of the next farm bill, now before Congress. The House Agriculture Committee agreed last week to put the program in every state, but only 35 schools in each. Harkin should push for more.

The obesity epidemic has many causes -- fast food, jumbo portions, heavy advertising, and lack of exercise. The epidemic will take decades to reverse, but limiting junk-food ads and putting more fruits and veggies in schools are good places to start.