"Good Morning America" is at it again. The ABC program waged another battle against food companies Oct. 26 by focusing on an "eye-popping report" about cereal marketed to children.
Dan Harris introduced the segment saying, "This really is a scathing report. Not only does it accuse the food companies of pushing the least nutritious cereals to kids, but it also says the companies' promises to police themselves are hollow. What's more the study authors say they have proof for parents that kids will eat unsweetened cereals if they're offered."
But his two minute 58 second segment devoted a meager 21 seconds to defending cereal makers, and never mentioned the role of parental responsibility.
Harris complained that the Yale study from Kelly Brownell found the "average preschooler sees 642 cereal ads a year, the vast majority of them for sugary cereals: a marketing tsunami that is exacerbating the nation's childhood obesity epidemic."
Brownell told Harris that is a problem and that "there are ways to train kids to eat healthier foods. It's all about what they're exposed to."
But neither Brownell, nor Harris mentioned the role of parents and other caretakers in allowing children to watch television or to decide which cereals to purchase for children.
Harris did include one corporate defender in the story: Elaine Kolish, VP of Childrens' Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. The ABC reporter put her on defense asking her to "explain to me how [these cereals can be called ‘better for you'] that works, because it seems to me that there is actually nothing worse for you."
Kolish replied that cereals "advertised in our program are low in calories and provide and important source of these nutrients for kids' diet."
"Good Morning America" has been attacking various food products throughout October, hyping a study from the radically left-wing food police group CSPI on Oct. 6 and turning to them again Oct. 21 to criticize food labels. On Oct. 23, the program attacked hamburgers for their carbon footprint.
—Julia A. Seymour is an assistant editor for the Business & Media Institute.
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Food Cops
October 26, 2009 - 15:52 ET by Jerry MackAll these self appointed Food Cops should just go away. Just today we have been told that meat, sodas and cereal are bad for you. So tomorrow I think I will have a beer for breakfast.
These food Nazis scare
October 26, 2009 - 18:43 ET by deerjerkydaveThese food Nazis scare me. Their motives have little to do with health and a lot to do with control. They're not content to live their own lives they way they want, they feel compelled to try and force their nutrition religion on everybody else.
I agree that eating a healthy diet is important. But forcing people to eat a government defined nutritious diet is un-American.
I ate surgary cereals
October 26, 2009 - 16:23 ET by MidAmericaI ate surgary cereals almost every day as a kid and still do most mornings and after over fifty years of surgary cereals I have never had one tooth cavity, never been overweight and seldom sick.
Oh... and since I was a
October 26, 2009 - 19:56 ET by MidAmericaOh... and since I was a country kid many years I put on my sugary cereal whole unpasturized milk. My brother loved the taste of cream so he liked to pour his milk first because big globs of cream would drop out. But in spite of that diet..... he was as skinny as a rail.
I can see it now - some
October 26, 2009 - 16:26 ET by rwesleyI can see it now - some shyster lawyer running commercials asking "Have you or a loved one ever eaten a bowl of Cap'N Crunch?"
It's a sugary jungle out there!
October 26, 2009 - 16:36 ET by CO2MakerI went to the grocery story earlier today. As I walked down the cereal aisle (where I almost never wander), a package caught my eye: General Mills whole grain "Reese's Puffs." IKYN.
Reese's Puffs
Food tax credits anyone?
October 26, 2009 - 16:36 ET by bre1227Perhaps we can implement a program where we get a "food tax credit" for every box of granola or unfrosted Mini-Wheats we buy, which we can then trade on stock exchanges or use ourselves to buy a box of Count Chocula.
Much of the effect of
October 26, 2009 - 16:49 ET by MidAmericaMuch of the effect of food on our bodies is a consequence of the genes we have inherited. In fact, certain negative health traits are more likely in one racial group than another. For instance diabetes is much more prevelant in the black community than the white. So when the government imposes taxes to alter behavior then the tax should be adjusted along racial lines. Since a black person is more likely to be negatively affected by surgary cereals then the amount of 'disincentive' to buy that product should be higher for them.
Liberals, especially those
October 26, 2009 - 16:58 ET by fitzfongLiberals, especially those in academia, the media and the legal profession, lack the ability, and thus the interest in growing the economy and creating jobs. But they have to make money somehow, so they use other people's money to tear down those who do grow the economy and create jobs. This bit of subsidized junk science has the filthy fingerprints of three great societal parasites: academia, "mainstream" media and the trial bar. All three need to be cut off at the knees if there's any hope for this country's future.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
Food police are everywhere.
October 26, 2009 - 18:53 ET by celatorFood police are everywhere. Don't forget this (drudge h/t)
"Climate chief Lord Stern: give up meat to save the planet"
http://www.timesonli...
No citizen's right to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, or property is safe as long as Obama is President of the United States.
It's funny how Newsbusters
October 26, 2009 - 19:00 ET by JesseJacksonIVIt's funny how Newsbusters screams parental responsibilty in this and other similar articles about food police, but seem to forget about the parents when an article is about kids being exposed to certain tv shows. Almost like they want to protect those nice corporate food producers, but not those evil guys in Hollywood.
The way food is marketed towards kids is terrible. By cereal companies and the fast food industry. Putting toys in happy meals to lure kids in to eat their crappy food. Putting toys in the unhealty cereal with all the bright colors.
General Mills markets all their cereal as Whole Grain. All that whole grain doesn't do much good if the kid is also eating the sugar and artificial color/flavors too
(yawn)
October 26, 2009 - 19:04 ET by Free Stinker(yawn)
Brent Bozell writes article
October 26, 2009 - 19:16 ET by JesseJacksonIVBrent Bozell writes article after article about how tv networks expsose young children to such awful tv shgows, yet he never mentions the parents responsibily in monitoring what their kids watch.
The food kids eat can do more harm to a kid, than watching South Park or Family guy could ever do.
Cereal worse than TV?
October 26, 2009 - 19:20 ET by FeynmanFanCan you link to any research that supports your statement?
"Reason and persuasion are the only practical instruments against error. To make way for these, free inquiry must be indulged" - Thomas Jefferson
You honestly believe
October 26, 2009 - 19:37 ET by JesseJacksonIVYou honestly believe watching a tv show could do more harm to an 8 year old than sugar, artificial color and hydrogenated vegetable oil?
You choose not to believe all the food studies that have been done? Where is all the research that shows the damage Cartman and Stewie Griffin has done to people?
JJIV - Hydrogenated---
October 27, 2009 - 12:53 ET by matthewdeanDear Reverend Al:
Hy-dro-ge-na-ted.
5, count 'em, five, syllables.
You win.
MD
"I may not agree with what your bumper sticker says, but I will defend to the death your right to stick it." (Unknown)
JJIV-Reverend Al
October 27, 2009 - 12:59 ET by matthewdeanSorry about that, Rev. J.
I was looking right at your name, too.
I know who you are.
AND, what you are NOT.
MD
"I may not agree with what your bumper sticker says, but I will defend to the death your right to stick it." (Unknown)
Sugared cereals
October 26, 2009 - 23:33 ET by merlin61When I was a child, many years ago, there was no sugared cereals, but we all put a teaspoon of sugar on the bowl of cereal and then the milk and sometimes topped it all with sugared fresh fruit, like strawberries and raspberries. Guess what no obese children in my family. We went out and played every day. We had no tv or x-boxes,etc. When we played board games, we had snacks like apples, cookies, peanut butter and jelly. Still we weren't obese. Parents do have a responsibility on what shows kids watch like Family Guy, South Park,etc. Garbage shows, no morals whatever and very, very bad for children,unlike good old cereals and snacks.
parents?
October 27, 2009 - 00:33 ET by LorraineShow me where parents are forced to buy those cereals for kids. Any source?
Of course not. There are plenty of parents who choose to offer their kids healthy cereals and other foods. For other parents, it's not as high a priority.
I know plenty of adults who like "kid" cereals, including my husband. If you balance out your diet over a couple of days, who cares?
Oh, and here's a secret for those of you who make your kids eat nuts, twigs, vegetables, and forbid them "junk" food. Your kids are sneaking candy bars, trading for cookies at school lunch, and eating fattening stuff at friends' houses.
Did someone
October 26, 2009 - 19:07 ET by UpNorthflush?
You make a valid point in
October 26, 2009 - 21:22 ET by fitzfongYou make a valid point in the first paragraph. The rest is just self-important garbage.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
a hint
October 26, 2009 - 19:20 ET by Kekela WardWhen they spell it "Froot Loops" that should be a hint that you are not getting something very good for you.
But I should talk....after all, I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.
Sam: "I hurt somebody's feelings once"
Country born...
October 26, 2009 - 21:38 ET by ScrapironI'm approaching 69 years old and have ate pork, beef, fried chicken and every other kind of meat. I eat cereal often and add 2-3 spoons of sugar no matter how sweet it is. I eat a lot of fruit and cover it with sugar and cream. Point is my last Dr visit was in 1994 and an aspirin a day will keep you away from the Dr.
Time for corporations to pull all ads from these stupid liberal parrot programs. Not one of the liberal hypes know a thing about what they hype, they just parrot their dear leader. On weather Al Gorabge is the biggest liar and most stupid person I've ever witnessed speak the english language.
Do democrats have a life or do they all hole up in the corner and give each other BJ's?
Old, Retired and glad of it.