Experts say no sugary drinks for kids, but parents can’t do it alone

The Hill

Even though the dangers of sugary drinks may be well-understood, confusing labelling and misleading marketing are undermining parents’ best intentions to make the right choices for their children. Read article here.

Industry has unduly influenced TV advertising regs on restricting unhealthy kids’ foods

Medical XPress

Industry has unduly influenced the regulations for TV advertising of unhealthy foods to children, likely weakening legislation in this area, argue doctors in an analysis, published in the online journal BMJ Open.

Read article here.
You can read the study here.

The Child Health Protect Act: advocacy must continue

CMAJ
An article by Nancy Greene Raine and Dr. Norm Campbell outlining the fate of Bill S-228 and why protecting our children from marketing of unhealthy foods must remain a priority this election Read here..

Parents Should Limit Kids’ Juice Consumption, Guidelines Say

US News

A panel of experts from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Heart Association, under the leadership of nutrition research organization Healthy Eating Research have issued new guidance on what children should drink to best set them up for healthy growth and development. Read article here.

shadowy industry group shapes food policy around the world

New York Times

A New York Times exposé on the activities of the International Life Sciences Institute, the food/agricultural industry lobby group that poses as a scientific organisation and has been quietly infiltrating government health and nutrition bodies around the world. Read article here.

NZ children see more than 40 ads for unhealthy products each day.  It’s time to change marketing rules

The Conversation

Recent research showed New Zealand children were exposed to an average of 46 ads for unhealthy products every day (27 junk food, 12 alcohol, and seven gambling ads). Exposure was measured by 168 children wearing automated cameras that captured images every seven seconds every waking hour for four days. Read more here.

HFSS promotions in Scotland to be restricted

Food Navigator

In its latest annual Programme for Government published last week, the Scottish Government included measures to bring forward a bill restricting the promotion and marketing of food and drink high in fat, salt and saturated fat. The proposed bill will also aim to protect children, plans to extend current restrictions for non-broadcast advertising of HFSS food and drink. Read more here.

Soft drinks, including sugar-free, linked to increased risk of early death

The Guardian

 

People who regularly consume soft drinks have a higher risk of an early death, researchers have found, with the trend seen for both sugared and artificially sweetened drinks. Once factors such as body mass index, diet, physical activity, smoking and education were taken into account, there was a 17% higher risk of death among those consuming two glasses a day compared with those drinking less than one glass a month. Read article from the Guardian here. 

You can read the study here.

Calls to improve health and safety of Canadian children ahead of federal election

CTV News Calgary

Child advocacy group Children First Canada has compiled a list of the top 10 threats to Canadian children, including obesity and food insecurity, and is calling for the creation of an independent commission to ensure the rights and well-being of youth. Watch and read coverage from CTV News Calgary here. 

Can you trust industry-funded nutrition research?

TVO

Marion Nestle the author of Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat, notes that the average consumer can find it hard to differentiate between between industry-funded nutrition studies and independent ones, and she believes that the public needs to be educated about the sources of nutrition research to make informed choices about food. Read article here…