Never mind

I feel kind of like a dope now for actually believing for a split-second that the FTC's December 15 forum on food marketing to kids and the proposal that I blogged about a few days ago might actually hold some promise. It never fails to amaze me how one source of media will paint a completely different picture from another. I guess during finals week I was a bit lazy about not checking various sources of important stories. Haha but at least finals are over now and I have no excuse!

If you've never read Marion Nestle's blog, Food Politics, or any of her books for that matter, I'd recommend having a look—I find what she writes eye-opening. I went back a few entries today and found some more specifics on what exactly the group proposal (which I posted about a few days ago) entailed.

I'd read that it proposed restrictions on saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and sodium for foods marketed to children, but what I hadn't seen was what those limits were: 1 gram saturated fat or less per serving and not more than 15% of total calories; less than half a gram of trans fat per serving; no more than 13 grams of sugar per serving; and no more than 200 mg of sodium per serving.

You don't have to be a student of dietetics to see that there are a lot, a lot of unhealthy foods can still meet these guidelines. Not only that, but there's still a lot of discrepancy over what a serving size should be in the first place. Besides that, there's a whole slew of other hazy details complicating the matter. Talk about a mess. While I'm glad the issue is getting some attention (not that it hasn't been getting attention), it's disheartening to see some of the ways in which food companies get around regulations both in place and proposed.

Could calorie labeling become part of health reform?

Included in the 1,990-page health care reform bill introduced by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was an outline for general nutrient-labeling requirements for restaurants and retail outlets with 20 or more outlets.

Affected restaurants would be required to prominently post calorie counts on menus and menu boards as well as calories per serving for items in salad bars and self-serve set-ups. They would also be required to post a reminder about the recommended daily caloric intake to help put all those numbers in context as well as let customers know that more nutritional information on their menu items is available upon request.

Vending machines would also be subject to calorie-posting rules.

Read more here.

Personally, I don't see much harm in informing the public—I think that this information can help people make good choices for themselves. Of course, it makes it easier for obsessors to obsess, but a lot of people in that boat look up calorie counts online anyway. I don't think it's necessarily the cure to all our country's diet-related health problems, but I usually am in favor of educating people.

For some, this could have a positive impact, and for others, it could have no impact. You wouldn't really be able to tell the overall effect for a while after substantial research, but I'm interested to find out if it works.

Another Reason I Like Michelle Obama

When it comes to health and nutrition, the first lady seems to have a good head on her shoulders.

On a recent trip to the Health and Human Services Department, she stressed that even small changes in diet and exercise can have a big impact. Got that? "Not totally evaporating your way of being as you know it today."

"Imagine what we'll be facing in 20 or 30 years," she continued, "if we don't get on this issue. None of us wants a future like that for our children."

I really think that's an important message to put out there, especially now, when stress levels are high and health—especially diet and exercise—is one of the first things to fall by the wayside.

Putting an emphasis on the need for that healthy balance in your life is something I wish we saw more of—why can't our country make a bigger deal out of the fact that preventative care can help you in the long run?