Food For Thought: Media to Digest for Healthier Kids

March is National Nutrition Month, so Shaping Youth is adding to the ADA's Eat Right web resources with some fun and worthy positive picks in food media to share with your kids, boost their media literacy IQ, and counter-market the cartoon pitches for empty calorie crud. Here goes: I've always loved the SmartMouth interactive site for kids, but my new discovery is the U.K.'s … [Read more...]

Pink Princess Fairytale Flakes; Candy Bars For Breakfast

I’m not sure which tweaks me more, junk food glop dyed pink in stereotyped splendor, “berry” cereals that have nothing remotely resembling fruit, or confusing callouts, (vitamin-D, calcium, lightly sweetened) that make people believe this crud is actually consumable, as a ‘healthy’ start to your day. Leave it to General Mills to have all three apply in the newly launched … [Read more...]

Body Blitz: APA Study Shows Harm of Early Sexualization

Update Nov. 30, 2016 Researcher and social scientist Dr. Deborah Tolman (who was involved with this same APA Task Force in 2007) is seeking support for further research on the sexualization of young girls which as we know from the 'groper in chief' will NOT be a fundable priority nor a public health concern. Please tweet, support, and help fund this important work. Professor … [Read more...]

Counter-marketing Junk Food With Rats & Tacos

Update 2013: Since Taco Bell is lowering the ethics bar to diss healthy veggies in favor of their chem cuisine in the latest Feb 3, 2013 Superbowl ad, I figured I'd drag out my 2007 counter-marketing with rats and tacos 'ewww' moments...Think it's unfair to counter-market with 'ewww' tactics? I'd say it's unfair to hammer high-risk, low-income kids 24/7 with this toxic crud, … [Read more...]

Joe Camel Meets Pink Think: Will the FDA rule?

“It strains the imagination that this is not aimed at anyone other than 15-, 16-, 17-year-old girls," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, in today’s fuming brouhaha over whether the FDA should regulate tobacco products. (note the NYTimes adjacent photo & pithy feature) Josephine Camel seems to be taking on sleek black leather stiletto heels and sexy hot pink glamorama … [Read more...]