I almost fell out of my chair and bonked my head when I read that food giants, like Nestle USA, ConAgra Foods, Kraft Foods Inc. and Mars, Inc. – as well as Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc., Hershey Co., Sara Lee Corp are banding together (oops, does that sound like a weight loss surgical procedure?) to fight childhood obesity? Well, they aren’t leaving adults out of the picture but say they will provide more effort towards the kids, who by the way, love junk food and Coke. 
The bonking part came after noting that eating less junk food may – or may not – be part of their answer to the problem AND that they are not obligated to improve the health of their products or change portion sizes. Isn’t it amazing that reducing junk food isn’t an initiative – I wonder why that is?
Instead, they plan to teach you how to balance calories – that age-old wisdom and novel idea of calories in = calories out. For weight loss, eat less and exercise more.
Hmmmmm……..interesting that the Chairman of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, David MacKay, is CEO of a company that lovingly provides us with nutritious Pop-Tarts, Cheez-Its and Keeblers. Kellogg is also the maker of many healthy cereals, like Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes and Apple Jacks. Not!
Guess it’s easy for him to count calories!
I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. The yoga teacher in me hates this cynical attitude but….big companies – show us your sincerity and integrity and do right by our kids who are, after all, our future.
Photo credit: Bryan Chan/Los Angeles Times
Tags: Food industry, Junk food