Childhood in Crisis

Sunkist Growers Inc., Sherman Oaks, Calif., is another kid-forward thinking company. Its Fun Fruits line of sliced fruits (oranges, apples or pineapples, or red grapes with no stems) in half-cup serving packages has been a hit since it was launched. Combining convenience with clever packaging that incorporates pictures of kids, the product clearly connects with its target audience. By engaging children in the benefits of fresh fruits, Sunkist has found a way to benefit children and the co-op’s bottom line.

Field Fresh Farm LLC, Missoula, Mont., found another way to get more fruit into the diet with its Cereal Toppers freeze-dried, preservative-free fruit. The company’s freeze-drying process retains the taste of the fresh fruit, releasing it when rehydrated with milk or water.

Back to School

Is it viable for big companies to participate in the wellness sector? Absolutely. Stonyfield Farm, Londonderry, N.H., strategic partner of Groupe Danone, the Paris, France-based water and dairy products conglomerate, has a grassroots program called "Menu for Change: Getting Healthy Foods Into Schools." Stonyfield is working to make healthy choices an easy choice in school. The company has even experimented with in-school vending machines for its yogurt products.

There are several examples of governmental and business enterprises stepping in to help tame the childhood obesity beast. In the UK, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has become involved in creating healthy food alternatives for school lunches with help from the British government.

On this side of the pond, ADM, Decatur, Ill., is collaborating with researchers from the Illinois Center for Soy Foods at the University of Illinois. They plan to introduce healthier and tastier soy-enhanced foods into the school lunch programs. The project is titled Project ISoy.

Turning the Corner

The war against obesity is really a war against apathy. As society and the food industry become more involved in the critical importance of nutrition and physical activity in warding off obesity, we can hope to see the trickle of positive changes turn into a flood. In spite of the child obesity problem being one of individual choices, it seems apparent it cannot be addressed on an individual basis. As a primary influence, the food processing industry is poised to capitalize on a paradigm shift in how it creates — and markets — foods designed with healthy kids in mind.

Industry Takes Steps to Police its Own On-Air Messages The food industry is serious about stepping up to the plate when it comes to the childhood obesity crisis. In July, the Grocery Manufacturers Assn. (GMA) announced it has the support of Kraft Foods, General Mills, Hershey, PepsiCo, Campbell Soup, Nestle, Sara Lee and Unilever to eliminate product placement in kids’ television shows and create ad guidelines covering video games and the Internet. The companies are also calling on the Children’s Advertising Review Unit of the Council of Better Business Bureaus to put new limits on product placement and to conduct more advance reviews of ads aimed at kids. Reports on these new endeavors quoted GMA executives as declaring, “We want to be part of the solution.”