Submission Number: 00377 

Received: 7/7/2011 12:28:31 PM
Commenter: Ellen Rautenberg
Organization: Public Health Solutions
State: New York
Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Initiative: Preliminary Proposed Nutrition Principles to Guide Industry Self-Regulatory Efforts; Project No. P094513
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
Dear Secretary Vilsack, Chairman Leibowitz, Director Frieden, and Commissioner Hamburg: Thank you for your efforts through the Interagency Working Group (IWG) to reduce unhealthy food marketing to children. Public Health Solutions supports strong uniform food marketing standards that will prioritize children's health, support parents, and catalyze industry to take greater responsibility for marketing strategies. As a public health organization based in New York City that operates a number of programs to encourage healthy eating and prevent obesity, Public Health Solutions is all too familiar with the toll that day-in and day-out marketing of unhealthful food has on our nation’s children and families. While the food and beverage industry pursues bigger profits, parents are expected to play defense in a world where food marketers have access to children in schools, in stores, on television, and online -- a world designed to make kids – and adults-- consume junk food. Parents can't do it all alone. Industry says it wants to be part of the solution and these guidelines are a start to helping them do it. Strong standards on foods marketed to kids will shift the balance in the right direction--towards the health of children and families. Public Health Solutions agrees with IWG's requirement that foods marketed to children contain healthy ingredients like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while limiting ingredients such as sodium, sugar and saturated fat. We also strongly support the IWG's comprehensive view of marketing to children, covering the wide range of approaches companies use, including online and digital mechanisms. Public Health Solutions thanks the IWG for its efforts to establish nutrition and marketing guidelines, and urge you to finalize them by the end of the year. The health of America's children hangs in the balance. Sincerely, Ellen Rautenberg President & CEO, Public Health Solutions 40 Worth Street, 5th FLR New York, New York 10013