Mickey to Kick Junk Food to the Curb

With the childhood obesity rate growing in this country year after year, one of the biggest major media companies has stepped up to lend a hand in changing the way kids eat. The Walt Disney Co. has announced plans to cut advertising on any unhealthy kid’s fare.

The Detroit Free Press reports on Disney’s plans to change the way they advertise on its TV station, radio channels, and website. And if you look at all of the media that falls under the Disney umbrella (Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney, Disney.com and Saturday morning programming for kids on Disney owned ABC stations) this can make for quite a change.

By 2015, all advertisers on Disney media will have to meet the new nutritional, low calorie criteria that experts working with the company came up with. Chairman and CEO of Disney, Roger Iger, assures parents that all of the food and beverage advertisements kids will soon see on Disney will do a body good. Iger says, “Parents can be confident that foods associated with Disney characters or advertised on Disney platforms meet our new, healthier nutrition guidelines.”

First Lady, Michelle Obama, who has famously made childhood obesity her biggest cause has voiced her approval of Disney’s upcoming changes. Obama says, “This new initiative is truly a game changer for the health of our children. … With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the U.S.— and what I hope every company will do going forward. When it comes to the ads they show and the food they sell, they are asking themselves one simple question: 'Is this good for our kids?'”

What do you think of Disney’s plans to make their food and beverage ads healthier for kids?

Do you think this can lead to kids eating less junk food and making healthier choices?

By cristimarashi
06.14.12

I think it is refreshing change of pace. I don't let my kids eat a lot of the stuff that has their favorite characters on it, so I was THRILLED when the cheese and fruit snacks packs started popping up in the refrigerated part of the produce section. OF COURSE kids are going to want to eat products with their favorite characters on them and SHAME on those brands that put kids characters on their super junky food. I think that Disney is definitely doing a great thing by changing what and how they advertise. YES it is ultimately the parents job to make good decisions regarding their child's diet, but seeing images of other children eating healthy or of Mickey Mouse on heathy foods like apple slices and cheese cubes, is a great way to reinforce that and make our jobs as parents just a little bit easier in this reagard.
By JustAddCoffee
06.14.12

Go MICKEY!!!
By shortj1016
06.14.12

I totally agree and that is exactly what I was going to say. Good for Disney for promoting healthy behavior but in the end it is the parent that is with the child on a daily basis. It is the parent that ALLOWS the child to eat unhealthy and not exercise. The parents are the one buying the food that goes into a house. I don't think Disney changing their adverstisement will have a huge effect on what children eat and to make healthier food choices. It is great that they will promote healthier choices because it will educate children but the parents are the only ones that can make their children eat healthier and prevent obesity.
By floflolinda
06.14.12

I think it is definitely a positive step taken by Disney. Ultimately it is still up to the parent to make that change in their child's diet. The question at the end of this article should not even have to be asked because in my opinion children should not be determining what they eat on their own. We are the parents and our responsibility is to keep our children alive and healthy. We should be the ones leading by example.

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