Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, Overweight and Obesity | DNPAO | CDC

Public Invited to Comment on New Principles for Children's Food Advertising April 29, 2011
Proposed principles support advertising healthier foods to children.

The Federal Trade Commission announced today the beginning of a 45-day period to seek public comments (PDF-502k: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2011/04/110428foodmarketproposedguide.pdf?source=govdelivery) on proposed principles for foods marketed to children. The principles are voluntary, but they give industry a specific set of criteria to aim for.

The proposed new principles were developed by an interagency workgroup that includes the following: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Federal Trade Commission.

The new proposal is designed to encourage children, through advertising and marketing, to choose foods that:
- Make a meaningful contribution to a healthful diet; and,
- That contain limited amounts of nutrients that have a negative impact on health or weight (saturated fat, trans fat, added sugars, and sodium).

For more information, see Food for Thought Interagency Working Group Proposal on Food Marketing to Children (PDF-102k: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2011/04/110428foodmarketfactsheet.pdf?source=govdelivery). “The purpose of the Working Group’s proposed nutrition principles is to guide the industry in determining which foods would be appropriate and desirable to market to children to encourage a healthful diet....”

Source: Preliminary Proposed Nutrition Principles to Guide Industry Self-Regulatory Efforts



CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) focuses on changing our communities into places that support healthy eating and active living. DNPAO's primary activities change places and policies influencing obesity-related behaviors, healthy eating and active living in many settings.


Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, Overweight and Obesity | DNPAO | CDC