• by Karlene Lukovitz , October 5, 2011

The stepped-up efforts are clearly in response to recent indicators from federal officials that the Obama administration may be softening its stance on the guidelines.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has announced that it will hold a press conference on Oct. 6 to detail new initiatives by CSPI and other "food advocates across the country."

Representatives of the Prevention Institute, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Berkeley Media Studies Group, Center for Digital Democracy and Public Health Law & Policy, as well as CSPI, are scheduled to participate in the briefing.

The news alert about the briefing notes that the advocacy groups and leading researchers have sent a letter to President Obama asking him to "act now to protect children from junk food marketing."

In addition, it says that the groups have created a video, "We're Not Buying It," that highlights "deceptive marketing to children" and the latest research, and "debunks industry claims."

In late September, top officials of the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), a strong opponent of the proposed guidelines, indicating that the IWG "anticipates making significant changes" in the proposal in response to input from the food industry and the public, as well as the food industry's introduction of its own new voluntary, self-regulatory nutrition standards.

The IWG is made up of representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.