Senators Urge Nick to Set Nutrition Standards for Foods Marketed to Kids
Statement of CSPI Nutrition Policy Director Margo G. Wootan
June 10, 2013
Nickelodeon's failure to make progress on a food marketing policy that protect kids' health is really taking a toll on the company's reputation. As long as Nickelodeon lags behind the rest of the industry, the company's behavior is likely to come under even greater scrutiny from parents, shareholders, regulators, and members of Congress.
When two out of three kids are overweight or obese, Nickelodeon shouldn't have seven out of 10 food ads be for junk foods.
Parents who are concerned about the junk food messages that Nick puts in front of their kids should be grateful for the leadership of Senator Blumenthal and Senators Rockefeller, Harkin, and Durbin. They understand the role that food marketing has on kids' health, and have a strong sense of what is and what is not responsible corporate behavior.
