By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
While The Disney Company has always been linked to children’s entertainment, they’re now taking a bold new step to promote children’s health. All food products advertised on their ABC-TV child-focused TV programs, radio stations, and web sites must adhere to new nutritional guidelines. And their theme parks will also modify their food offerings, with changes including a 25% reduction in sodium. Considering that Disney parks serve nearly 12 million meals to children every year, this is a big step. While these changes won’t occur until 2015 due to existing contracts, it’s a move in the right direction.
Disney has already been an active leader in this area, when, in 2006, they largely reduced the association of the Disney name and popular characters with foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. You might recall that the “Toy Story” gang of Buzz Lightyear and company were removed from McDonald’s Happy Meals and that Mickey Mouse disappeared from boxes of Pop-Tarts.
The most recent changes are based on federal guidelines, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed guidelines for food marketing to children. You can check out these guidelines for yourself at www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/mohl.
While this is a great step in the right direction to limit the sale of junk food to children, children and their parents are not being encouraged to replace junk food with healthier foods, fruits, and vegetables. However, Disney-licensed foods in grocery stores that meet the criteria for limited amounts of sugar, fat, and sodium will display a new logo – Mickey Mouse ears with a check mark.
So this is a major step in the right direction for healthier eating for children. But will it have a lasting impact? What do you think?
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