Should businesses limit food marketing aimed at children?

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Food businesses figure prominently in the Obama administration’s report on obesity released Tuesday.

In particular, the report says that voluntary efforts by the food and beverage industry to moderate food marketing aimed at children ‘has been subject to debate.’ It points out that members of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, an industry organization developing voluntary guidelines for improving the nutritional value of food aimed at children, have doubled their use of entertainment characters to push their products over the last four years.

The report recommends, among other things, that all food and beverage companies become involved in voluntary efforts to improve the nutritional value of their products, and that they stop marketing unhealthy items to children. The report also says food companies should limit their use of licensed characters to promote foods for children. If the industry doesn’t come forward voluntarily, the report says, government regulators should step in.

-- Sharon Bernstein