The Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity has released an updated study on the nutritional content of cereals and related marketing to children. In 2009, when Rudd released the first Cereal FACTS, researchers found that the least healthy breakfast cereals were those most frequently and aggressively marketed directly to children as young as age 2. The updated study, which compares data from 2008 and 2011, shows that even though cereal companies have improved the nutritional quality of most cereals marketed directly to children, they increased advertising to children for many of their least nutritious products.
Key findings:
The study authors recommend that cereal companies reduce advertising for high-sugar cereals and find creative ways to market healthier products to children.
Report and brief series encouraging industry and government action to reduce marketing unhealthy foods to children
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