Research from Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity shows that cereals which are most aggressively marketed to children are also the least healthy, as measured by an Oxford University nutrition scoring system. The researchers also found that none of the cereals targeted to children in the US meets the nutrition standards required to advertise to children in the UK. Among other findings, cereals marketed directly to children have 85% more sugar, 65% less fiber and 60% more sodium than cereals marketed to adults. Even more shocking, (but perhaps should not be a surprise) is that all cereals marketed directly to U.S. children meet the cereal industry’s own nutrition standard for “better-for-you” foods. These include: Cocoa Puffs (44% sugar), Cap’n Crunch (44% sugar), Froot Loops (41% sugar), Lucky Charms (41% sugar) and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (32% sugar). Cereal companies spend nearly $156 million dollars annually on marketing their cereals to children on television. [via Medical News Today]
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Tags: cereal, children, nutrition, Oxford, Rudd Center, sugar, Yale
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Obeasity and Diabetes in a box. But who is to blame? Parents, that’s who. Reminds me of a old Carnival bark, Cry baby cry and mommy wil buy.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:03 am
What else do you expect from capitalistic companies whose goals are profit profit profit! They know what kids like. Too bad some parents continue to fall into their traps. The thing about branding certain kids cereals as “healthy options” is just plain absurd. Isn’t there a parental watchdog organization that protests against this type of idencency?
October 28th, 2009 at 11:26 am
I’ve been terribly dumfounded why cereals for children are so full of sugar. This is why it appears children are hyped up after eatig cereal for breakfast. Cereal makers of this sugary contents should be exposed and repremanded…and we should not buy them at all. Mothers should be warned not to buy the stuff and be more attentive to their children’s nutrition.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I am surprized that it takes a publishing like this to open parents eyes. READ!!!! the boxes. Know what you are feeding your children. My four year old does not get to chose what he wants in the cereal aisle. What does a 4 year old know about anything…. He gets to eat either a bowl of Cheerios w/milk, a warm bowl of oats or toast and fried eggs with bacon always followed by a 6onz glass of milk or orange juice.
October 28th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
It is a mother’s job to be cautious what to buy for her kids; it is the consumer who implies to store what their next inventory should be. The less junk we buy the less they have to bring to store.
October 28th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Juliana, Check the milk cartons and see how much sugar is in the milk, and check everything else for High Fructose Corn Syrup. Orange juice, as all other processed juices contain HFCS and are just as bad as a cola. Too much of these foods and drink lead to Diabetes and Obesity. Don’t think for one minute that artificial sweetners are a answer, they are more dangerous than sugar unless they are natural sources such as Stivia.