Protecting the Children from Sugar

Related articles

The Wall Street Journal reports, "A working group made up of officials from several federal regulatory agencies Tuesday proposed restricting marketing of foods and beverages that contain significant amounts of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, in response to concerns about childhood obesity."

"While these guidelines from this working group are voluntary at this point, it seems to me that the road leads to some official government restriction," says ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross."

ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan agrees: "Such restriction has already occurred in England. They have a very long list of foods including cheese that cannot be advertised during children's programming."

Dr. Ross adds, "Good nutrition involves a balance of various foods. There are no unhealthy foods per se, but excessive amounts of food become unhealthy. Parental supervision of what kids eat is the main thing. Too much fat or sugar is not good for anyone, but obesity is a matter of calories in and calories out. Calories from saturated fat are no different from calories from carbohydrates or protein."