Sensible Food Policy Coalition Battles Government on Obesity

Headed by a former White House staffer, the group is fighting potential rules on food marketing to kids.

July 12, 2011

WASHINGTON - Media businesses, food manufacturers and fast-food restaurant chains have joined together to create the Sensible Food Policy Coalition, The Washington Post reports. Anita Dunn, former White House communications director, is heading the group.

Coalition members include Time Warner, Viacom, PepsiCo, Kellogg and General Mills. The group has shelled out $6.6 million on lobbying efforts relating to obesity during this year??s first quarter. Collectively, group members have thrown close to $60 million on lobbying since Obama took office.

The coalition was formed to lobby Congress and the Obama administration as it attempts to develop voluntary guidelines on nutrition and marketing on foods aimed at children. David Vladeck, who directs the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission, expressed surprise at the industry??s reaction to the proposed guidelines.

"Congress directed the [agencies] to prepare these guidelines because much of the foods marketed directly to kids are not healthful," said Vladeck. "If you look at rising rates of obesity, one in three kids are either overweight or obese. That percentage is growing. I don??t think anyone thinks the status quo is okay. We are trying to be useful in this debate. This is not stealth regulation in any way, shape or form."

Dunn has been attacked for her position with the coalition because of First Lady Michelle Obama??s "Let??s Move" campaign against childhood obesity. "Without resorting to personal attacks, everybody should be able to work together towards a common goal here," said Dunn. "At the end of the day, combating childhood obesity is not a question of what gets advertised but a matter of more exercise, healthier eating habits and working together."

Meanwhile, the convenience store industry is being proactive about nutrition. A NACS nutrition task force is developing a framework that will help guide convenience retailers as they consider how to bring healthier offers to their stores ?" all the while recognizing that it comes down to choice. Retailers must be able to maintain their social license to sell what customers demand ?" and not what the government wants customers to buy.

A significant component of the NACS nutrition campaign is the notion of "calories out." Convenience retailers support more youth sports teams than any other industry in the United States, which help children stay active and burn calories.

The NACS nutrition campaign is evolving. Working with retailers, we??re building case studies and creating a toolkit that will help the industry encourage nutritious food options inside convenience stores.

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