FDA Urged to Stop Formula Companies from Selling Sugary Drinks as “Formula” to Toddlers 

Center for Science in the Public Interest
Advocates and researchers from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, UConn Rudd Center, and New York University write that Nestlé, Walmart, and Mead Johnson & Company (makers of the brands Gerber, Parent’s Choice, and Enfamil) violate FDA regulations for infant formula. Such beverages are also not recommended by health experts for toddlers. Read more

Is Obesity Policy in England Fit for Purpose? Analysis of Government Strategies and Policies, 1992–2020

The Milbank Quarterly 
A review of thirty years of proposed Government obesity policies in England has found few to be successful or to have led to a consistent reduction in obesity rates. One major finding is that policies largely make high demands on individual agency, meaning they rely on individuals to make behaviour changes rather than shaping external influences and are thus less likely to be effective or equitable. Read the study

Children’s Screen Time Has Soared in the Pandemic, Alarming Parents and Researchers

New York Times
Nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, parents across the country — and the world — are watching their children slide down an increasingly slippery path into an all-consuming digital life.“There will be a period of epic withdrawal,” warned one addiction specialist, once schools, activities and social life return to normal. Read the article

Why you need to eat fewer ultra-processed foods like frozen pizza and granola bars

The Globe and Mail 
A steady intake of ultra-processed foods has been linked to an increased risk of chronic health problems such as obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Now, findings from a large Italian study add to mounting evidence that ultra-processed foods should be limited. Added sugars in these foods, as well as the processing methods used to make them, may contribute to their harmful effects. Read the Globe and Mail article 

86% of teens exposed to junk food ads on social media

Medical XPress
Cancer Research UK researchers asked 3,394 11- 19-year-olds from across the UK where they had seen advertising that month for food and drink high in fat, sugar and salt with 86% responding that they had seen adverts for junk food on social media.  Read more
You can read the study here

Opinion  – Why Your New Years Diet is Doomed

New York Times
The playbook for much of the junk-food marketing is similar to what the tobacco industry used for decades: advertising strategies focused on young people, a shirking of responsibility for poisoning entire populations, and an emphasis on individuals’ responsibility for their own health. Read more

Study to look at impact of Covid-19 on nutrition in Atlantic Canada

The Chronicle Herald
The study is being led by Catherine Mah of the Dalhousie University school of health administration, the Canada Research Chair in healthy population. “I think the most important thing that we’re approaching in this research is that nutrition is already a concern in the Atlantic provinces. (They) have one of the highest levels of diet-related risk in Canada,” Mah said. She said poor diet and nutrition have short- and long-term effects on health, and by looking in-depth at nutrition researchers hope to be able to see how social policy can be tweaked or altered to reduce the risks for Atlantic Canadians. Read the article

Gaps in regulation of commercial educational websites are exposing children to unhealthy food marketing

News-Medical. net  

A new article, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, asserts that current gaps in the regulation of commercial educational websites are exposing children to unhealthy food marketing. A review of over 500 children’s educational websites found that approximately 60% have ads or unclear policies around advertising. For food companies, this offers an unparalleled opportunity to access children online and to market unhealthy foods. Continue reading 

Online junk food advertising: Could banning it tackle obesity?

BBC Science Focus

Research suggests that an online advert ban will be most beneficial to children whose parents earn the least (and are therefore at increased risk of obesity and other diet-related illnesses), compared to those who earn the most, thus additionally playing a role in reducing socioeconomic health inequalities. Read the article

When kids watch a lot of TV, parents may end up more stressed

Science Daily 
The more TV kids watch, the more ads they see and the more likely they are to ask for things on shopping trips. That may contribute to parents’ overall stress levels, researchers found. Read the article