• NY Times, Wednesday, December 7, 2005 12 PM

In a blow to food marketers who target kids, a federal advisory group has issued a new report that for the first time claims to statistically link exposure to television advertising for certain food products to obesity in children. The report was issued by the Institute of Medicine, which claimed it proved that food marketing of high-calorie, low-nutrient food products influenced the diets, food preferences and requests of kids under 12. The report recommended an educational campaign to educate the public about healthy food choices and said that if food marketers do not voluntary shift the emphasis of its TV advertising targeted to kids to healthy foods, then Congress should force them to do so. If the food industry accepted the recommendations, SpongeBob SquarePants, the cartoon character who promotes carrots, yogurt and Pop Tarts, would have to drop the Pop Tarts. High-sugar cereals like Shrek might disappear entirely. The Grocery Manufacturers of America did not question the report's findings, but did say that it did not go far enough in recognizing the strides the food industry has made in responding to obesity.

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