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Most kids' food products ‘too sweet and fatty’
Published: 13 Mar 12 15:40 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20120313-41311.html
Most food products aimed at German children is too sweet and fatty, making it “practically impossible” to give kids a healthy diet based on food designed for them.
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Foodwatch identified 1,514 products aimed at children either through the labelling (“for kids”), through marketing tie-ins involving cartoon characters or free toys, or through special offers connected to online games.
The products were then assessed according to the “nutritional pyramid” devised by a government-supported consumer organization.
This pyramid, a chart divided into three levels, puts particularly “sweet and fatty snacks” in the red category at its tip, meaning that they should only be consumed rarely. Of the 1,514 products tested, 1,109 fell into this category.
The yellow level in the middle, including milk and meat products, contains food that should only be consumed “in moderation,” while the green level, including fruit, vegetables, cereal products and water, at the base should be consumed “often.”
Apart from the 73.3 percent in the red category, six percent of the children’s food was in the yellow category, while only 12.4 percent fell in the green category.
In the wake of the study, the Green Party has called on Consumer Minister Ilse Aigner to take concrete measures to protect children from the marketing of unhealthy food.
Green Party deputy leader Bärbel Höhn told Wednesday’s edition of the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper that the food industry was not keeping its promise “to end the tactics of tempting children with toys.”
Höhn added that by refusing to put colour-coded nutritional advice on food labels, the government was helping “to ensure that fattening food would continue to be sold as allegedly good ‘children’s products’.”
The Local/bk
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Your comments about this article:
Quite simple in my house. If it has been "designed" for children to eat, then it is not on the shopping list. The choice is very simple, yes have your tantrum about not eating it, but you will still be hungry at the end, or eat it and and don't be hungry. It paid off, as today, my children 7 and 9 eat what is put in front of them. They also eat fruit and vegetables in large quantities. Weak parenting and pandering to children is the real problem. If the products were not bought, then they would not be sold. And with the information available to the last 20 years, anyone who buys this sort of food has ignored all the previous news reports, exposés and health advice about how much crap is put in these foods.
No one can eat this food rarely because it`s ADDIACTIVE and
after each time there is rehab proccess.
Who can do it over and over again?!
Children?!
Who can keep use HEROIN rarely for the long term?!
NO-ONE.
We have to avoide this kind of food totaly if you ask me.
Love
But that the food industry would be an adversary in a parent's effort to provide their children with healthy and appealing choices is outrageous. The packaging is as deceptive about nutritional content as it is appealing to children. I wouldn't be that offended by a product that tried to appeal to children with a sticker or toy if it was something I'd actually consider preparing for them. The nutritional quality of the food and the aggressive marketing strategies should be addressed first.
Like all things, healthy eating is best promoted by setting good examples.