Obesity, Children, and Regulation of Food

Background:
The issue of childhood obesity has been receiving a great deal of attention from the media, interest groups, the health community, and even Congress. While stories have appeared in countless newspapers over the past several years, recent statistics indicating that childhood obesity is seriously on the rise have gained the attention of the mainstream media. ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN have all done multiple segments on this issue, Oprah has featured stories on it, Newsweek has had two cover stories, and the New York Times ran a special segment on "The Fat Epidemic." In addition, "60 Minutes" ran a special story on childhood obesity with a focus on the school lunch program and noted columnist George Will wrote an editorial in support of Eric Schlosser's position against the fast food industry.

The activists' drumbeat has been getting louder with increasing calls for: limits or bans on advertising to children; taxes on "junk" food; new labeling requirements; and limits or bans on in-school marketing. Their cause is gaining momentum as consumers become increasingly concerned about what is being portrayed as an epidemic. Many in the health and science community also fuel the flames as they make comparisons between the consumption of "fat" and the consumption of cigarettes.

Status:
Given this attention, it is not surprising that the government, at both the state and national level, has become energized. At the state level, eighteen states have some form of "junk" food tax in place and five states have proposed policy and legislative recommendations. Many school districts have either begun or are considering restricting sales of some products. At the national level, Surgeon General David Satcher recently released his report entitled "The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity" which outlines strategies that communities can use in helping to address the issue. Options include requiring physical education at all school grades, providing more healthy food options on school campuses, and providing safe and accessible recreational facilities for residents of all ages. In releasing this report he stated, "Overweight and obesity may soon cause as much preventable disease and death as cigarette smoking." Go to http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity.

Congress is also poised to get into the act. Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) is currently working on legislation, tentatively titled "The Obesity Prevention and Treatment Act of 2002." Drafts available as of this writing indicate the bill's focus is on training grants for schools and institutions of higher learning, funding for nutrition programs, federal obesity studies, and federal research projects into the causes and treatment of obesity.

However, this is not to say that mandates would not result from the bill. For example, there is a concern that a provision in the bill granting funds to cities and local governments for the purpose of increasing physical activity and improving nutrition could lead municipalities to impose ordinances requiring nutrition labeling on restaurant menus. In addition, the bill would require the Secretary of HHS to report to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, within a time certain, on a variety of studies conducted by HHS into the causes and prevention of obesity and overweight, which could result in further legislative action in this area.

NCCR Says:
NCCR has been working with several groups to address the issues of obesity, nutrition, and a response to media attacks on our industry. We believe it is every individual's responsibility, and every parent's responsibility for their child, to make informed decisions about nutrition, proper diet, and exercise. We also believe that the food products offered by our industry can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. Like anything else, diet and fat intake must be done in moderation.

We will trumpet the contributions of our industry to the economy, to our millions of employees, and to each family that enjoys the convenience, variety, and wholesomeness of menu items offered by our member companies. We will resist comparisons of our industry to tobacco and cigarettes, and we will fight efforts to impose taxes or other undue regulations on the products offered by our industry.

Contact: NCCR at 202.626.8183