Nutrition & Wellness – Biology 50

Smart Choices Not So Smart After All

October 7, 2009

There has been some concerned raised about the Smart Choices program, particularly when Froot Loops (and other sugary cereals) recently was approved as a “Smart Choice.” Health advocates are encouraging people to avoid Smart Choices to eat healthy. They are also raising concerns about whether the Smart Choices program is a sign of nutrition or just another marketing angle (manufactures must pay to have the logo on their products).

Concerned citizens have even drafted a petition on change.org “Don’t Let Kellogg’s Buy Scientists: Froot Loops Aren’t a Healthy Breakfast” to encourage Smart Choices Board Members to remove their support for the Smart Choice Program.

See more about Froot Loops in the blog post on Watch Out for High Sugar and Poor Nutrient Content in Many Children’s Cereals. In the study released by Consumer Reports, Froot Loops ended up with a “fair” rating, with a low fiber amount and 12 grams of sugar. It does appear that Froot Loops has changed their formula lately, adding in more fiber to the popular sugar cereal for a total of 3 grams of fiber in a serving. You can read what Marion Nelson, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University has to say about this change of formula at the Huffington Post.

It will be interesting to see what happens and what the manufactures response will be to the public outcry about their program.

About Smart Spot

The Smart Spot program is a program created by PepsiCo’s to make it “easier for people to identify food and beverage choices that contribute to healthy lifestyles.” The Smart Spot logo appears on more than 250 products across all of PepsiCo’s brands including Tropicana®, Gatorade®, Baked! Lay’s®, Quaker® and Diet Pepsi®.

The Smart Choice Program was motivated by the need for a single, trusted and reliable front-of-pack nutrition labeling program that U.S. food manufacturers and retailers could voluntarily adopt to help guide consumers in making smarter food and beverage choices.

According to their website to qualify for the Smart Choices Program, a product must meet a comprehensive set of nutrition criteria based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other sources of nutrition science and authoritative dietary guidance.

The Smart Choices program was designed to replace the other health labels that have been seen on foods such as “Sensible Solution and “Smart Spot.”

Sources:

Neuman W. September 2009. For Your Health, Froot Loops. NY Times.

MacVean M. September 2009. ‘Smart Choices’ food label: a sign of nutrition or marketing? LA Times.

Hernandez L. October 2009. Parents Question New ‘Smart Choices’ Food Labeling System. The Denver Channel.

Nestle M. July 2009. ‘Better’ junk food about marketing, not health. SF Gate.

Image Source: Carolyn Coles. Fruit Loops Donut. Some rights Reserved.

Entry Filed under: Health News, Media and Nutrition, Nutrition News, Truth in Advertising. Tags: Advertising, Misleading Advertising, nutrition advertising, Smart Choices Program, Smart Spot, Truth in Advertising.