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8 of 10 Healthy Kids’ Food – Aren’t

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Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be. Oakland, CA based Prevention Institute recently published a study entitled Claiming Health: Front-of-Package Labeling of Children’s Food with some interesting findings.

The consumer protection group reviewed dozens of products that are marketed as healthy to children, and discovered that it just ain’t so. They compared the products’ nutritional value to criteria derived from the US Dietary Guidelines and the National Academies of Science. Here are some sad numbers:

  • More than half (57%) of the study products qualified as high sugar
  • 95% of products contained added sugar
  • More than half (53%) were low in fiber.
  • More than half (53%) of products did not contain any fruits or vegetables; of the fruits and vegetables found, half came from just 2 ingredients – tomatoes and corn.
  • 24% of prepared foods were high in saturated fats.
  • More than 1/3 (36%) of prepared foods & meals were high in sodium
  • 21% contained artificial coloring – additives with potentially harmful health impacts, while offering no benefits whatsoever

How do marketers get away with this? Blame an understaffed FDA and FTC. Blame the judicial system’s generous definition of the first amendment.

Although many BS claims just go under the radar, every once in a while companies get slapped with lawsuits that bring to light their tricks. Earlier this month, Kellogg’s was charged $5 million by a California court, for misleading consumers about the immunizing potential of its Rice Krispies cereal.

But Snapple was recently able to shake off a lawsuit regarding it’s claim to be using “all natural” ingredients, including high fructose corn syrup.

It’ an uphill battle for parents. We know, we’re in the trenches too…

What to do at the supermarket:

Never, ever, trust the health claims on food products. Read the nutrition facts AND the ingredient list. If you find that challenging, you can always email us with a qustion, or use the free fooducate iPhone App.

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  • http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com Nancy-The Frugal Dietitian

    Not sure I agree with this statement: 21% contained artificial coloring – additives with potentially harmful health impacts, while offering no benefits whatsoever. I think the “fear” of artificial coloring is overstated.

  • http://www.fooducate.com/blog Editorial Staff

    @Nancy – Until the evidence laid out shows artificial colors are 100% safe, they should not be used freely in foodstuff. Kids should not be guinea pigs.
    In the UK, products with red #40 need to be labeled “May cause hyperactivity in kids”. Guess what – the food industry has quickly found natural colorings to use instead.

  • Brooke

    I do think Europe is more likely to bow to political and public whims – and I think this very well may be a case of that.

    However, I think we should all be interested in the fact that the FDA is going to address this issue in an upcoming Food Advisory Meeting.

    http://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/Calendar/ucm236321.htm

    I hope this objective look at the data that is out there can either a) show the public they can sleep at night after allowing their children to consume a treat with artificial coloring or b) show the FDA that they also need to adopt some type of labeling or regulation regarding artificial colorings.

    Stay tuned!

  • http://www.palateworks.com Carol

    Use of the term “healthy” in a nutrient content sense is restricted by current (long-time) FDA regulations. Unfortunately, the criteria are easy to meet for a food that is already low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, and has less than 480 mg sodium (almost all breakfast cereals). All that needs to be met after that is to have at least ONE of the following at 10% of Daily Value (i.e., “good source”) or higher: protein, fiber, vitamin A or C, and iron or calcium. Fortification makes it easy to do this. Sugar and additives are not currently part of the equation/consideration.

  • http://www.foodieformerlyfat.com Foodie, Formerly Fat

    This is, once again, evidence that whole foods are best and the only way to know what is and is not going to be good for you is to read the ingredient list.

    But then again, I’m not a person who needs to be told that Cocoa Puffs isn’t a “health food”. The lack of food education in this country is appalling. We need reliable and trustworthy sources (AKA not from the food industry) to educate people (specifically children) about food itself.

    Healthy eating is about eating unprocessed food, not about eating food that has been boosted with supplements. It’s one thing to have absorbable calcium added to orange juice (which has it’s own health benefits to begin with) and another to have a chocolate breakfast cereal try to trick people into thinking it’s healthy!

  • http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com Nancy-The Frugal Dietitian

    @Editorial Staff
    Stevia doesn’t have any proof.

  • caracal1788

    Michael Pollan: “A health claim on a food product is a good indication that it’s not really food”.

    It’s generally good advice.

  • Kyle Krotzer

    Eat healthy America
    10 healthy foods