A new report by Friends of the Earth, “Spinning Food: How Food Industry Front Groups and Covert Communications are Shaping the Story of Food,” documents unprecedented levels of spending from front groups, trade associations, anti-GMO labeling campaigns, and vast corporate marketing budgets aimed at defusing public concern about the risks of chemical-intensive industrial agriculture and undermining the reputation of organic food.
Health Advocates Remake Coke Ad
Center for Science in the Public Interest has remade Coca-Cola’s iconic “Hilltop” ad with a new message. The new video is health advocates’ latest salvo in their campaign to reduce the incidence of soda-related disease in America and around the world.
Has the American Society for Nutrition Lost All Credibility?
By Michele Simon, cross –posted from Eat Drink Politics
In my new report, I expose the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), the nation’s leading authority of nutrition scientists and researchers, for its cozy relationships with the likes of PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Nestle, McDonalds, Monsanto, Mars, and even the Sugar Association. Such conflicts of interest are similar to those exposed in my previous report about the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Powerful junk food companies purchase “sustaining partnerships” from the American Society for Nutrition, gaining access to the nation’s leading nutrition researchers at their annual meetings, and in their policy positions. ASN’s “Sustaining Member Roundtable Committee” includes PepsiCo’s Chief Scientific Officer and the Chief Science Officer at National Dairy Council.
Continue reading Has the American Society for Nutrition Lost All Credibility?
US Hospitals Distributing Infant Formula Packs to Breastfeeding Mothers declines
A new report in Pediatrics found that the distribution of infant formula discharge packs to breastfeeding mothers declined markedly from 2007 to 2013. The percentage of hospitals distributing infant formula discharge packs to breastfeeding mothers was 72.6% in 2007 and 31.6% in 2013, a decrease of 41 percentage points.
Added Sugar on the Nutrition Facts Label
The Union of Concerned Scientists has released a new fact sheet summarizing public comments on the FDA proposal to include a line for added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label on food packaging.
The Misinformation Industry: Food flavor safety system a ‘black box’
By Chris Young and Erin Quinn, Center for Public Integrity
Ingredients created by food companies flavor what Americans eat each day — everything from juice drinks and potato chips to ice cream and canned soups. They give Cheetos their addictive cheesy taste and help distinguish Jolly Ranchers from other fruit-flavored candies.
But the organization responsible for the safety of most “natural” and “artificial” flavors that end up in foods and beverages isn’t part of the U.S. government. Rather, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association — a secretive food industry trade group that has no in-house employees, no office of its own and a minuscule budget — serves as the de-facto regulator of the nation’s flavor additives.
The trade association, which operates with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s blessing, says that it makes research on the safety of various flavors available for public inspection.
This story was co-published with TIME and Huffington Post. Read the full story at CPI here.
Watch Center for Public Integrity’s video The Food Additive Highway.
Evaluating Industry Self-Regulation of Food Marketing to Children
A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine compared television food advertising to U.S. children in 2007 and 2013. No significant improvement in the nutritional quality of foods marketed to children has been achieved since industry self-regulation was adopted. In 2013, 80.5% of all foods advertised to children were for products in the poorest nutritional category.
Meat lobby peddles doubt to undermine dietary guidelines
Cross–posted from Al Jazeera
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, updated every five years, never fails to cause a stir. For the current revision, released in February, a federally appointed scientific committee — after a two-year review of the latest research and numerous public hearings — has recommended (PDF) lowering consumption of red meat and processed meat. Continue reading Meat lobby peddles doubt to undermine dietary guidelines
New Plant Foods Coalition Enters Dietary Guidelines Debate
Every sector of the food industry–most of them unhealthy–has something to say about how Americans should eat. But we rarely hear the voices of healthier food companies in shaping the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. I organized this new coalition of plant food companies to help fill that void. Continue reading New Plant Foods Coalition Enters Dietary Guidelines Debate
Support New York State Mandatory Warning Label on Added Sugar in Sugary Beverages
This testimony was presented to the New York State Assembly Committees on Consumer Affairs and Protection and Health on April 13, 2015:
I am here to testify in support of Bill 2320A, an act to amend the New York State agriculture and markets law, in relation to the labeling of sugar-sweetened beverages with warnings. I am a Distinguished Professor of Public Health at City University of New York School of Public Health and Hunter College and Faculty Director of the New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College. I offer four reasons for supporting labeling of sugar-sweetened beverages with warnings on the health effects of added sugars. Continue reading Support New York State Mandatory Warning Label on Added Sugar in Sugary Beverages
Corporations and Health Watch 