CSPI Says Nickelodeon Still Marketing Unhealthy Foods to Children

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) released a report Tuesday saying the cable channel Nickelodeon continues to air advertisements for foods of poor nutritional quality, despite previous pledges to help fight childhood obesity, United Press International reports. In 2005, a CSPI analysis identified 88 percent of foods marketed on the network as nutritionally poor. This 2008 report indicates that little has changed at Nickelodeon despite the threat of litigation, a self-regulation initiative by industry and attention to food marketing practices by Congress and the Federal Trade Commission. The latest analysis, based on a review of 28 hours of children's television programming on Nickelodeon, found that 78 percent of the 185 food commercials studied were promoting foods of poor nutritional quality. Seventy-seven percent of the food advertisements published in Nickelodeon magazine promoted junk food or fast food meals. During those same hours, Nickelodeon's parent company, Viacom, used its characters to endorse meals at three fast-food chains. Calling Nickelodeon "something of a pariah in that they haven't set any basic nutrition standards" for food advertisements, CSPI Nutrition Policy Director Margo Wootan says that "media companies such as Nick[elodeon] are gatekeepers and should set their own standards for marketing to children." Meanwhile, according to a CSPI release, food manufacturer Dannon has joined the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, in which companies adhere to advertising and marketing practices aimed at promoting health. To date, 15 major food companies, including Kellogg, General Mills, Coca-Cola, Kraft and McDonalds, have joined the initiative (UPI, 9/23/08; CSPI release, 9/23/08). Editor’s note: RWJF is funding a future CSPI analysis of industry policies on food marketing to children.