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Pixie Dust or Bust!!
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- Aug 25, 2000
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FAT KIDS WATCH MORE TV
By Mike Patrick, Jr., M.D.
www.pediascribe.com
Clear the trophy shelf for another industry first from the Walt Disney Company. That's right--move over Steamboat Willie, watch out Snow White, make way Disneyland--the mouse has a new trick up his sleeve, one he hopes will catch-on with parents and cash-in at the register. And I think his plan has more than a fighting chance.
We're not talking about a one year promotion like the "Million Dreams" campaign. This initiative promises to be a corporate fixture for years to come. It's a move that arrives two years after the Kaiser Family Foundation released a report reviewing more than 40 studies on media's role in America's childhood obesity epidemic.
The report concluded that the kids who spend the most time with media are the ones most likely to be overweight. As my daughter would say, Duh! But there's more. The report states, contrary to popular assumption, media use does not appear to displace physical activity. In other words, kids who watch lots of TV are just as active as those who watch little.
So what gives? Well, the report suggests children's exposure to billions of dollars worth of food advertisements may be the culprit. The typical child views more than 40,000 ads a year on TV, and a majority of these commercials promote fast food, soda, sweetened cereal, and candy. What's more, ad campaigns plugging these products often enlist characters from the shows kids watch. Thus, we have Sponge-Bob Cheez-Its and Scooby-Doo cereal and Teletubby Happy Meals.
The research also indicates exposure to food advertising affects the choices kids make when eating out and shopping at the grocery store with mom and dad.
Enter the Walt Disney Company. This week, CEO Robert Iger outlined new guidelines for food licensed to carry the Disney name and characters. The new policy limits added sugar to 10% of total calories for main and side dishes and 25% for snacks. Likewise, total fat will not exceed 30% of calories for main and side dishes and 35% for snacks. The company also plans to to completely eliminate trans fats from all licensed and promotional food products.
The food Disney serves at its theme parks will also conform to these guidelines.
Iger kicked off the nutritional campaign saying, "The Disney brand and characters are in a unique position to market food that kids will want and parents will feel good about giving them."
But don't expect these changes to happen overnight. Disney has to wait until current licensing contracts expire before making many of the changes. In fact, the reason this initiative comes two years after the Kaiser Family Foundation's report is in large part due to Disney's decade-long exclusive partnership with the McDonald's Corporation. With that agreement now under the rug, Disney projects all theme park food will reflect the new rules by the end of 2007 and all licensed and promotional food items will fall into line by the end of 2008.
So how do these nutritional guidelines stack up to those recommended by pediatricians?
Actually, they match up pretty well. This past February, the journal PEDIATRICS published Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents: A Guide for Practitioners. In the article, nutrition experts recommend children get <30% of their total daily calories from fat. They also recommend <7% of total calories come from saturated fat. While Disney plans to eliminate artery-clogging trans fat, they make no specific mention of saturated fat, which they should have done to keep the guidelines in step with current nutritional thinking.
Still, it's a great start--one that will prove financially successful and provide encouragement to other companies who market to children through media.
Understandably, there have been rumblings on the DISboards concerning changes in the kid's menus at theme parks. The healthy choices aren't popular with little tourists. I see their point. While I advocate the American Academy of Pediatrics' nutritional guidelines, I also understand a well-balanced diet of moderation allows wiggle room for the occassional splurge. Let's face it, a Disney vacation is an occassional splurge. Does it really matter kids aren't following guidelines the few days they're on vacation? And what about the cruise line? Will their meals conform as well? If so, I will officially join the DISboard outcry. No more creme brulee? Say it isn't so!
With regard to fast-food and grocery-item licensing, I'm all for the new plan. Creating a line of products kids identify and parents trust is a smart marketing move. I give Disney kudos for their effort. With new leadership at the helm, I hope bold innovations from the Walt Disney Company continue into the months and years to come.
By Mike Patrick, Jr., M.D.
www.pediascribe.com
Clear the trophy shelf for another industry first from the Walt Disney Company. That's right--move over Steamboat Willie, watch out Snow White, make way Disneyland--the mouse has a new trick up his sleeve, one he hopes will catch-on with parents and cash-in at the register. And I think his plan has more than a fighting chance.
We're not talking about a one year promotion like the "Million Dreams" campaign. This initiative promises to be a corporate fixture for years to come. It's a move that arrives two years after the Kaiser Family Foundation released a report reviewing more than 40 studies on media's role in America's childhood obesity epidemic.
The report concluded that the kids who spend the most time with media are the ones most likely to be overweight. As my daughter would say, Duh! But there's more. The report states, contrary to popular assumption, media use does not appear to displace physical activity. In other words, kids who watch lots of TV are just as active as those who watch little.
So what gives? Well, the report suggests children's exposure to billions of dollars worth of food advertisements may be the culprit. The typical child views more than 40,000 ads a year on TV, and a majority of these commercials promote fast food, soda, sweetened cereal, and candy. What's more, ad campaigns plugging these products often enlist characters from the shows kids watch. Thus, we have Sponge-Bob Cheez-Its and Scooby-Doo cereal and Teletubby Happy Meals.
The research also indicates exposure to food advertising affects the choices kids make when eating out and shopping at the grocery store with mom and dad.
Enter the Walt Disney Company. This week, CEO Robert Iger outlined new guidelines for food licensed to carry the Disney name and characters. The new policy limits added sugar to 10% of total calories for main and side dishes and 25% for snacks. Likewise, total fat will not exceed 30% of calories for main and side dishes and 35% for snacks. The company also plans to to completely eliminate trans fats from all licensed and promotional food products.
The food Disney serves at its theme parks will also conform to these guidelines.
Iger kicked off the nutritional campaign saying, "The Disney brand and characters are in a unique position to market food that kids will want and parents will feel good about giving them."
But don't expect these changes to happen overnight. Disney has to wait until current licensing contracts expire before making many of the changes. In fact, the reason this initiative comes two years after the Kaiser Family Foundation's report is in large part due to Disney's decade-long exclusive partnership with the McDonald's Corporation. With that agreement now under the rug, Disney projects all theme park food will reflect the new rules by the end of 2007 and all licensed and promotional food items will fall into line by the end of 2008.
So how do these nutritional guidelines stack up to those recommended by pediatricians?
Actually, they match up pretty well. This past February, the journal PEDIATRICS published Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents: A Guide for Practitioners. In the article, nutrition experts recommend children get <30% of their total daily calories from fat. They also recommend <7% of total calories come from saturated fat. While Disney plans to eliminate artery-clogging trans fat, they make no specific mention of saturated fat, which they should have done to keep the guidelines in step with current nutritional thinking.
Still, it's a great start--one that will prove financially successful and provide encouragement to other companies who market to children through media.
Understandably, there have been rumblings on the DISboards concerning changes in the kid's menus at theme parks. The healthy choices aren't popular with little tourists. I see their point. While I advocate the American Academy of Pediatrics' nutritional guidelines, I also understand a well-balanced diet of moderation allows wiggle room for the occassional splurge. Let's face it, a Disney vacation is an occassional splurge. Does it really matter kids aren't following guidelines the few days they're on vacation? And what about the cruise line? Will their meals conform as well? If so, I will officially join the DISboard outcry. No more creme brulee? Say it isn't so!
With regard to fast-food and grocery-item licensing, I'm all for the new plan. Creating a line of products kids identify and parents trust is a smart marketing move. I give Disney kudos for their effort. With new leadership at the helm, I hope bold innovations from the Walt Disney Company continue into the months and years to come.
