Fortified foods could help reduce child obesity

The IOM​ wrote the report after congress requested a national preventative action plan to tackle the rise in childhood obesity. Last week, the body presented its findings and recommendations in a report entitled Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance​.

The report noted the importance of food and beverage industries in preventing childhood obesity with sales of these products to young consumers exceeding $27 billion in 2002. More specifically, the authors concluded that: "Food and beverage industries should develop product and packaging innovations that address total calorie content, energy density, nutrient density and standard serving sizes to help consumers make healthful choices."​

The report put particular emphasis on the need for makers of fast food and snacks to produce healthier foods that are richer in nutrients. The authors noted that this is imperative as over 32 percent of a child's total calorie intake is now consumed "away-from-home"​. This is compared to 20 percent in 1977.

The IOM report acknowledged that consumer demand is obviously what drives the food and beverage industry - and at least 30 percent of the calories consumed each day by the average American are high in calories and low in nutrients. But, noted equally that: "significant profit incentives now exist for industry to develop foods and beverages that have fewer calories or are fortified with nutrients."​

It cited the financial success of diet sodas and the greater availability of reduced-calorie foods and beverages as examples of how industry is continually seeking new ways to meet consumer demand, earn a profit, and positively affect public health. "Numerous opportunities exist for industry to influence consumers' purchase decisions in terms of how it develops, packages, labels, prices and promotes products."​

In terms of advertising, food and beverage companies spend $10 billion to $12 billion a year attempting to win over America's children and youth. However, more than half this money is used to promote foods and beverages such as candy, fast food, snack foods, soft drinks and sweetened breakfast cereals that are high in calories and fat, and low in fiber and other essential nutrients.

The report concluded that advertising guidelines should be developed with attention to product placement, promotion and content. Such guidelines would seem to offer prominent opportunities for functional food and health food producers to market their wares.

Mary Sophos, senior vice president of government affairs, for the Grocery Manufacturers of America, said that many food and beverage companies are already moving along the right lines by, for example, reformulating products to reduce calories, salt, fats and sugar, to increase fiber and whole grains and to reduce and eliminate trans fat.

But, there is still a way to go. Over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years, meaning at present, approximately nine million children over six years of age are considered obese.

Furthermore, obese children have an elevated risk of contracting many chronic diseases. In a population based sample, approximately 60 percent of obese children aged 5 to 10 years had at least one cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor-such as elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, or blood pressure - and 25 percent had two or more risk CVD risk factors.

Moreover, in 2000, it was estimated that 30 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls born in the US are at risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives.