Blog Posts for: Elizabeth Claydon
07/23/2010 | Elizabeth Claydon
Friendly’s… Not So Friendly?
The chain restaurants have once again done their part to threaten the health and nutrition of children around the country. This time it is Friendly’s that violates attempts to curb the overwhelming increase in childhood obesity. A chain whose motto “where ice cream makes the meal” is enough to make nutritionists everywhere cringe, Friendly’s has been serving high-calorie, high-sugar, high-fat entrees, desserts, and drinks for 75 years. One only need to trace its history to the Great Depression to appreciate that in a time of want and undernourishment, it promoted a menu of excess and indulgence. No wonder it appealed to the masses.
06/23/2010 | Elizabeth Claydon
Traffic Color Coding
In another loss to the struggle against the food industries, the European Union has passed new standards on foods without including the aptly named “traffic color coding” on food items. The proposed color-coding system would have effectively labeled unhealthy foods (defined as foods high in sugar, salt, and fat) with a red light. Food industry lobbyists worried that this visible labeling system would “demonize” their foods and hurt sales. Additionally, the food companies feared that government administration would have too much regulatory power over them if more stringent and controversial steps like color coding were taken.
05/26/2010 | Elizabeth Claydon
Pain Relief: Sugar Drops for Immunizations?
With the prevalence of childhood obesity remaining high, every effort must be taken to encourage healthier eating and behaviors at a very young age. By creating healthier lifestyles from ‘baseline’, we can prevent both obesity and many of its comorbidities, thereby setting up children to live healthy lives.
