The Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has issued a “groundbreaking” report on obesity that calls for a tax on sugar- and artificially-sweetened beverages as well as a ban on advertising food and drink to children. Titled Obesity in Canada: A Whole-of-Society Approach for a Healthier Canada, the March 2016 report also recommends, among other things, (i) “a National Campaign to Combat Obesity,” (ii) “a complete revision of Canada’s food guide to better reflect scientific evidence,” (iii) “a review of nutrition food labelling to make it easier to understand,” and (iv) “a plan for making healthy food more affordable.” “Canada’s dated food guide is no longer effective in providing nutritional guidance to Canadians. Fruit juice, for instance, is presented as a healthy item when it is little more than a soft drink without the bubbles,” notes the report, which summarizes expert testimony given before the committee…
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The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) has issued a January 25, 2016, report that recommends, among other things, a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), context-specific dietary guidelines, and “interpretive” front-of-pack labeling. Taking “a life-course approach” that focuses on what it describes as an obesogenic environment, the report urges WHO, member governments and non-state actors to implement specific action items designed to (i) promote intake of healthy foods and reduce intake of unhealthy foods and SSBs among children; (ii) promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors; (iii) provide guidance on preconception and antenatal care to reduce the risk of childhood obesity; (iv) support healthy diet, sleep and physical activity during childhood; (v) promote healthy school environments, health and nutrition literacy; and (vi) provide family-based lifestyle weight management services. In particular, ECHO singles out food and beverage marketing as “a major issue demanding change that will protect…
The Access to Nutrition Foundation has released its second Access to Nutrition Index® (ATNI), which ranks the 22 largest food and beverage companies on their “contributions to tackling obesity and undernutrition.” According to a concurrent press release, “The 2016 Index concluded that, while some companies have taken positive steps since the last Index, the industry as a whole is moving far too slowly. Scored out of ten on their nutrition-related commitments, practices and levels of disclosure, no company achieved a score of more than 6.4.” Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust and Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the 2016 Global Index ranks companies in the following areas: (i) governance, including whether the company has a corporate nutrition strategy; (ii) product formulation and nutrient profiling systems; (iii) efforts to make healthier products accessible to consumers via pricing and distribution; (iv) compliance with marketing practices and policies geared toward general…
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has published a report criticizing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) lack of action on food dyes. Titled Seeing Red: Time for Action on Food Dyes, the report points to studies allegedly linking food-dye consumption to behavioral issues in children—particularly those diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)—concluding that FDA “has failed to protect or even inform consumers of the risks of dyes to children.” “We estimate that over half a million children in the United States suffer adverse behavioral reactions after ingesting food dyes, with an estimated cost exceeding $5 billion per year, using information cited by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a recent meta-analysis sponsored by an arm of the food industry,” states CSPI. “A study of food labels in one supermarket found that more than 90 percent of child oriented candies, fruit-flavored snacks, and…
A new study suggests that warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) could dissuade parents from purchasing these products for children. Christina A. Roberto, et al., “The Influence of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Health Warning Labels on Parents’ Choices,” Pediatrics, February 2016. Based on research involving tobacco warning labels, the study aimed to determine if SSB warning labels could (i) educate consumers about potential “health harms” “above and beyond” existing calorie declarations; (ii) “influence parents’ intentions to buy SSBs for their children”; and (iii) “influence parents’ perceptions and intentions toward nonlabeled beverages.” It also evaluated warning label phrasing and “parents’ beliefs about proposals to put warning labels on SSBs.” Surveying 2,381 primary caregivers of children ages 6 to 11, researchers randomly assigned parents to one of six conditions: “(1) no warning label (control); (2) calorie label; or (3–6) 1 of 4 text versions of a warning label (eg, Safety Warning: Drinking beverages with…
Responding to a novel food application submitted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97, the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) has verified the safety of cow’s milk treated with ultraviolet (UV) radiation to extend its shelf life. According to the NDA, the UV treatment increased the milk’s D3 concentrations but not in amounts likely to exceed the tolerable upper intake levels established by EFSA for children ages 1–10 years, adolescents and adults. “UV-treated milk is comparable to non-UV-treated milk, except for the vitamin D3 content,” states the NDA opinion. “No adverse effects regarding the contribution of milk to nutrient intakes are expected from the consumption of UV-treated milk in substitution of non-UV-treated milk. The Panel considers that the novel food is not nutritionally disadvantageous.” Issue 590
Baltimore City Councilman Nick Mosby (D) has introduced legislation that would require health warnings for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in certain advertisements, menus, menu boards and point-of-sale signage. “The beverage industry specifically targets youth and communities of color with its marketing efforts, spending $395 million in marketing directed at youth and $28.6 million on marketing campaigns specifically targeting African-American and Hispanic youth,” according to Council Bill 16-0617. The draft ordinance further asserts, among other things, that some 25 percent of school-age Baltimore City children drink one or more soda daily. The proposed health notice would state: “Warning: Drinking beverages with added sugar contributes to tooth decay, obesity, and diabetes. This message is from the Baltimore City Health Department.” Violators of the ordinance would face misdemeanor fines as high as $1,000. The proposal has been referred to the Department of Health. See The Baltimore Sun, January 11, 2016. Issue 590
With the launch of its Change4Life campaign, Public Health England (PHE) has issued a free bar code-scanning app that displays the sugar content of foods and beverages. Claiming that children ages 4 to 10 consume 22 kilograms of sugar per year—”the average weight of a 5-year-old”—the campaign also features TV, digital and outdoor advertising as well as educational packs to be distributed by schools. Among other things, PHE highlights tooth decay as “the most common reason” for hospital admissions among children ages 5 to 9. To this end, the “Smart Sugar” app allows users to scan product bar codes at supermarkets to display the sugar content in grams or cubes. According to PHE, which notes that a single serving of soda contains 9 cubes of sugar, the recommended daily maximum sugar intake is (i) “5 sugar cubes for children aged 4 to 6,” (ii) “6 sugar cubes for children aged…
Two app developers have agreed to pay a combined $360,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that they allegedly violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by producing and selling games allowing third-party advertisers to collect personal information from children. The games, which include My Cake Shop, My Pizza Shop, Ice Cream Jump and Happy Pudding Jump, appeared to target children younger than age 14, but the app developers apparently failed to inform advertisers of that fact, which would have required them to comply with FTC and COPPA regulations. "It's vital that companies understand the rules of the road when it comes to handling children's personal information online," FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich said in a December 17, 2015, press release. "These cases make it clear that we're closely watching this space to ensure children's privacy online is being protected." Issue 588
A California federal court has dismissed a proposed class action against Plum Organics alleging that large photos of fruits and vegetables on the company’s Mighty 4® Children’s Food product packaging mislead consumers into believing the products contain significant amounts of those fruits and vegetables. Workman v. Plum Inc., No. 15-2568 (N.D. Cal., filed November 2, 2015). The court refused to find that the mere inclusion of the pictures constituted misrepresentation. “The products at issue do not display any affirmative misrepresentations,” the court said. “They merely show pictures of featured ingredients contained in the puree pouch and fruit bars. No reasonable consumer would expect the size of the flavors pictured on the label to directly correlate with the predominance of the pictured ingredient in the puree blend.” In October 2015, Plum announced it would change its marketing, including product names, to better reflect the contents of its products. Additional information appears…
