Child obesity can be curbed with proper food labels

After customers see a product advertised, it is important that the food labels they read when they go to a store to make a purchase are accurate. With government regulations calling for more comprehensive labels, it is especially important for manufacturers to design custom labels that adhere to all nutritional standards.

The fight against childhood obesity is gaining strength. This blog previously discussed how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s new requirements could affect school lunches across the nation. The hope is to increase children’s health by eliminating unhealthy foods from their diets.

Junk food advertising campaigns, though, continuously underline the fact that their products are fun. According to a 2012 study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, 1.2 million children visit packaged food advergaming sites every month. The research also showed that children who participated in advergaming consumed 30 percent less fruits and vegetables than their non-gaming peers.

However, the Walt Disney Company announced last summer that it would pledge to ensure that all food products advertised through Disney-owned media would meet strict new nutrition standards beginning in 2015.

“Parents can be confident that foods associated with Disney characters or advertised on Disney platforms meet our new, healthier nutrition guidelines,” Robert Iger, chairman and CEO of Disney, said in a statement.

Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told USA Today that under the new Disney nutrition standards, breakfast cereals that are advertised will have to contain fewer than 10 grams of sugar in a serving.

Along with altering their advertising campaigns, food companies must ensure that all food labels accurately display recommended dosages. This will keep parents happy as they strive to offer healthier options to their children.