Blog Posts for: Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
05/21/2010 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Factual Corrections to Statements Made by the Center for Consumer Freedom During Power Lunch on CNBC with the Rudd Center
Since I was given a limited time frame to respond to some of the factually-incorrect statements made by a representative of the Center for Consumer Freedom, I thought I would clear up the misrepresentations he made during CNBC's Power Lunch segment, "Selling Junk Food to Kids," which aired on May 18, 2010.
05/04/2009 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Australia’s Take: Ban Junk Food Advertising to Kids
A group of Australian health and children’s organizations sponsored a video, called ShamBurger, to advocate banning junk food marketing to kids. They explain that Australian children are exposed to ten television food ads a day, almost two thirds for unhealthy foods. In Australia, one in four children is overweight or obese. The statistics are even worse in the United States. One in three children in the U.S. is overweight or obese.
05/04/2009 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Australia’s Take: Ban Junk Food Advertising to Kids
A group of Australian health and children’s organizations sponsored a video, called ShamBurger, to advocate banning junk food marketing to kids. They explain that Australian children are exposed to ten television food ads a day, almost two thirds for unhealthy foods.
04/06/2009 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
There May Be More Links between Big Tobacco and Big Food than We Realize
In addition to the similarities between big food and big tobacco discussed by Brownell and Warner, the similarities between obesity and smoking include increased risk of cancer. Of course we know that smoking causes lung cancer. But, according to the National Cancer Institute, obesity increases the risk of cancers of the breast (postmenopausal), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), colon, kidney, and esophagus.
02/19/2009 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Public Schools Still Need More Funding and Less Junk-Food and Sugary Beverages
I hope that South Carolina approves a bill to improve school foods and that more states followed its lead to remove non-nutritious foods in schools. A South Carolina House subcommittee recently approved a measure aimed at curbing the availability of junk food in schools.
12/19/2008 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Restaurant Mandates and Litigation
Yesterday a representative from the National Restaurant Association came to the Rudd Center and gave a very informative and interesting talk. He stated that in the U.S., local restaurateurs fear being sued by private individuals for such things as false claims or misrepresenting information about the health or nutritional quality of their food. This scenario has arisen in the context of voluntarily offered nutrition information when the information was in fact false.
10/01/2008 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
More Good News Out of NYC
New York City again proves to be one of the nation’s leaders in the advancement of public health. The City set nutrition standards for all foods purchased and served in schools, senior centers, homeless shelters, child care centers, after school programs, correctional facilities, public hospitals and parks.
09/18/2008 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Response to Posts Regarding Menu Labeling
Labeling of menus is one strategy to address the problems of poor nutrition and overweight and obesity in our country. It is based on the premise that consumers who want to know what is in their food have right to that information. Until menu labeling laws were enacted, consumers had no way to make comparisons of the food they purchased for consumption outside the home. The argument against menu labeling that calorie information is not enough to make proper choices, is an argument for MORE information. The U.S. Constitution favors more not less information to enable consumers to make choices better suited for their needs. The argument that calories alone fail to tell the whole story means that restaurants should be forced to provide more information, such as saturated fat, sugar, and sodium.
10/14/2007 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Why Isn’t Education Enough?
We read it over and over again: Education alone does not change eating behavior. Marion Nestle has a great article showing how many precise changes are needed to just take a family from using whole milk to a low-fat version. But why are humans so unable to make small changes that they are in total control of? Some point to will-power. But why is it so hard? I do not have an answer- only the question. I know that eating a jar of peanut butter in two days is not the best idea but if it’s in the house it is hard to resist. I can order healthy meals at restaurants, but if someone else orders dessert and four spoons, I am happy to oblige. Where does the system break-down?
07/16/2007 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Cheers for Subway!
Subway has complied with the menu labeling law in New York City. Am I really cheering for a company for complying with the law? Maybe the better question is: Why have fast food restaurants been able to operate on their own terms for so long? Subway has been a leader in advocating healthier eating through calorie comparisons among different fast food establishments. It is not surprising that they would comply with the menu labeling law because they know their products come out on top of the calorie comparison game. But the New York State Restaurant Association sued NYC to stop enforcement of the law to protect other fast food restaurants from having to disclose calories of their products at the point of purchase. That is all the law states: restaurants that have disclosed calorie data via different media must also disclose it at the point of purchase (i.e., on the menu).
06/18/2007 | Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH
Finally, a Real Role Model
Starting on June 26th, ABC will launch a TV series called Shaq’s Big Challenge, featuring Shaquille O’Neal and his “dream team” of experts who are setting out to battle childhood obesity. Shaq gathered six specialists from around the country to work with six middle school children in Florida. The team includes: a personal trainer, nutritionist, child obesity expert, celebrity chef (Tyler Florence- yay!), university sports coach, and Shaq’s own physician/trainer. The most promising aspect of this show is that it addresses the many layers of the toxic environment in which children live.
