Government Won't Force Companies on Healthier Food
Posted on: Friday, 9 May 2003, 06:00 CDT
By EMILY GERSEMA
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration says the government can't force food companies to produce and promote more nutritious products in an effort to reduce obesity, although it is trying to encourage them.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said Thursday that the industry has the resources to help Americans make healthier eating choices.
But he argued that lawsuits against restaurant chains or requirements that product labels include health information will prove less effective.
Food companies "have got the advertising dollars to do it," Thompson said at a conference on obesity sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America. "That's much better than passing legislation."
He promised that manufacturers that invest in promoting healthy eating and fitness will get recognition for their efforts. "I'm going to start giving more awards and singling out those that have done it."
As an example, Thompson said he appreciated PepsiCo's recent efforts.
Company spokesman Richard Detwiler said the beverage and snack food manufacturer is using different cooking oils to make its Frito-Lay brand snacks to eliminate trans fats, which can put people at a higher risk of heart disease.
Over the years, PepsiCo has added bottled water and juices to its beverage line, and it has been sponsoring youth fitness programs.
About 60 percent of the nation's adult population and 13 percent of children are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer group, said it will take more than just pressure on food companies to help the country take control of its weight problem.
"I hope he continues to put pressure on them," she said of Thompson. "But I think he should support legislation to require fast food chains and other restaurants to present calorie information right on the menus."
Wootan also said the Agriculture Department should seek the authority to regulate vending machines in schools - an idea the Bush administration opposes.
Gene Grabowski, a spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturers of America, said companies are "moving in the direction that Secretary Thompson has laid out" and oppose legislation that would require them to promote health and fitness.
"Legislation would actually take longer," he said. "Food companies can act faster on their own."
Thompson said insurance companies could help address the obesity problem by offering premium discounts to people with healthy lifestyles.
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