A new study that came out last week found 84 percent of kids' healthy advertised food really isn't healthy at all.
The FDA regulates what companies put on the side of their boxes, but advertisers have found a way to sneak past that rule by putting health statements on the front of their packages.
The Product List
Researchers at the nonprofit Prevention Institute picked a representative sample of products from a list created by the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. Of the 58 products examined, 84 percent did not meet basic nutritional criteria, contrary to what their package-front labels promised.
What The Study Found
The FDA's Role
Advertisers and companies are using this front-of-package tactic to mislead consumers into thinking their products are healthier than they really are. Because the current federal regulations aren't strict enough to limit this kind of advertising, the Grocery Manufacturers of American (GMA) took things into their own hands.
Instead of waiting for the nutrition guide that the government commissioned, earlier this week the food industry leaders revealed their own front-of-pack labeling guide called Nutrition Keys. The Nutrition Keys, which manufacturers will voluntarily put on the front of all food packaging, will show the amount of calories, fat, sodium, and total sugars as well as two positive vitamins present in the food.
The Future
Given that the GMA has left The Nutrition Keys labeling guide up to the individual food companies, until the FDA mandates regulation for front-of-package labeling, food company's will continue to deceive customers with false health benefits.