Tough New Rules Proposed on Food Advertising for Kids

The Obama administration is asking food makers to sharply limit any advertising to children and teens of foods high in sodium, saturated fat and added sugars, in an effort to curb obesity.

The proposed standards released Thursday are voluntary, but they're widely expected to reshape how companies like McDonald's Corp., Coca-Cola Inc., General Mills Inc. and Kraft Foods Inc. pitch their products to millions of Americans.

By one estimate, the new standards would affect advertisements on 1,700 television programs. They would ripple across about 20 types of marketing, including radio, print and Internet pitches.

Some food advertisers said the guidelines—which wouldn't take effect until 2016—are too onerous and called for changes.

"We can see right from the outset that this is going to be highly restrictive," said Dan Jaffe, an executive at the Association of National Advertisers, which represents food makers and other advertisers.

Mr. Jaffe said he expected manufacturers would feel heavy pressure to comply because the guidelines come from regulators including the Federal Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"There's clearly a veiled threat here that if they don't act...someone's going to step further," either through legislation or regulation, Mr. Jaffe said.

Under the guidelines, foods marketed toward children ages 2 to 17 would have to provide a "meaningful contribution" to a healthful diet by containing a certain amount of healthy items, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats or beans.

At the same time, for advertised products, marketers also would have to limit the content of sodium to 210 mg per serving; added sugar to 13 grams "per amount customarily consumed"; and saturated fat to 1 gram or 15% of calories. In addition, any product containing trans fats couldn't be marketed to children under the guidelines.

The proposed regulations could be changed after a period for public comments, which runs through June 13.

In their objections, some food makers singled out the restriction on sodium, saying that it would hit categories like soup, vegetable juice, cereals and apple sauce that are otherwise healthful.

Lobbyists say food makers may consider reformulating products to meet the new standards or changing their marketing plans. But some trade groups stopped short of saying they will adhere to the guidelines.

"We're certainly going to consider them as we review and update the standards we're already applying," said Scott Faber, a vice president at the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the main trade group for packaged food makers.

Nutrition experts said the new guidelines would inhibit products such as Kellogg's Eggo waffles, General Mills' Cocoa Puffs and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers from being pitched to children.

The rule is expected to bleed over into programming viewed by adults. Under the proposal, it would apply to any programming where children ages 2 to 11 make up 30% of the audience or those ages 12 to 17 reach 20% of viewership.

Jim Davidson, a lawyer for food and marketing trade groups, estimates that encompasses about 1,700 programs, including sports and entertainment specials widely viewed by adults.

Thursday's guidelines are the latest in a series of federal efforts to prod food makers to offer healthier products. Advocates have centered their efforts on voluntary guidelines, viewing outright bans on marketing of unhealthy foods as unlikely to win federal approval.

The Obama administration has made childhood obesity a top health initiative, with First Lady Michelle Obama selecting it as her signature cause. One in three children is overweight or obese, which puts them at greater risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and other diseases.

Food makers have already cut back on marketing some of their least healthful products to kids amid pressure from regulators and the threat of lawsuits. The Grocery Manufacturers Association says that in recent years food and beverage manufacturers have changed the recipes of more than 20,000 products to reduce calories, sodium, sugar and fat. The association recently agreed to place nutrition information on the front of packages.