Disney Launches Healthy Eating Campaign
Walt Disney, as part of a campaign to promote healthier habits among children, on Monday announced plans to eliminate the promotion of unhealthy foods to children by the end of 2008 and to eliminate trans fats from theme park menus and licensed and promotional food products by the end of 2007, the Wall Street Journal reports. As part of the campaign, Disney plans to implement new guidelines -- which were developed by two child nutritionists based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recently released by HHS and USDA -- for company food products (Marr/Adamy, Wall Street Journal, 10/17). According to the guidelines:
- Food products should have a limited number of total calories, which will result in smaller portions;
- Fat should not account for more than 30% of the calories in entrees and side dishes or more than 35% of the calories in snacks;
- Saturated fat should not account for more than 10% of the calories in food products; and
- Sugar should not account for more than 10% of calories in entrees and side dishes or 25% of the calories in snacks.
Disney also plans to begin to promote healthy diets and exercise in the storylines of television programs (Wall Street Journal, 10/17). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.