Call for letters of support: Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act
[To subscribers: technical problems with WP Engine prevented this from being sent out yesterday, so I’m trying it again]
I received this request from Thomas Eagen, Senior Health Policy Advisor, Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee:
I am reaching out with big news: Senator Sanders bill, the Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act, is scheduled to be marked-up in the HELP Committee next Wednesday July 22! …,. this legislation would require strong front-of-package warning labels on junk food and restricts companies from using child-directed ads for these products. This includes sugar-sweetened beverages, products high in added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium, and ultra-processed food. The bill includes a statutory definition for ultra-processed foods that excludes products meeting the FDA definition of healthy.
The bill is here at this link. It is:
(1) To require warning labels on sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, foods and beverages containing high-intensity sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, and foods high in nutrients of concern, such as added sugar, saturated fat, or sodium, (2) to restrict junk food advertising to children.
Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act: Major Sections
Section 101. Health Warning Labeling of Foods; Restriction on Certain Advertisements Directed at Children.
- Determines that a food or beverage product is considered misbranded if it is a sugar-sweetened beverage, a product with any high-intensity sweetener, an ultra-processed food, or high-in added sugar, saturated fat, or sodium if the product does not include front-of-package labeling specified in the text. T
- Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations to apply the labeling requirements to online retailers.
- Defines the terms high-intensity sweetener, sugar-sweetened beverage, and ultra-processed food.
- Gives FDA authority to regulate food and beverage marketing or advertising for products required to include front-of-package labeling that is directed at children.
Section 102. National Institutes of Health Research on Nutrition Science.
- Directs the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate programs to support nutrition science research and research on the health effects of ultra-processed food.
- Directs the NIH Director to convene a meeting of stakeholders to discuss research efforts aimed at improving nutrition and reducing the incidence of diet-related chronic disease.
Section 103. Nutrition and Physical Activity Public Education Campaign.
- Directs the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collaborate with national, State, Tribal, local partners, and nutrition and physical activity organizations to develop a public campaign to educate the public on how to read and understand the new labeling described in Section 2, the health risks associated with obesity, inactivity, and poor nutrition, ways to incorporate physical activity into daily living, ways to reduce risk of chronic illness, benefits of good nutrition, and strategies improve eating and drinking habits.
Section 202. Restriction on Advertisements for Junk Food Directed at Children; Required Disclosure of Any Health and Nutrient Warning Label in Advertisements.
- Makes it unlawful for any person to market, advertise, produce, or distribute advertisement or marketing material for junk food that is child-directed advertising.
Requires the disclosure of any required front-of-package labeling described in Section 101 of this Act.
Section 203. Restoring the Federal Trade Commission’s Ability to Promulgate Rules on Children’s Advertising.
Removes the provision in the Federal Trade Commission Act that prevents the Federal Trade Commission from promulgating rules related to children’s advertising. [YES! And about time, too]
CALL FOR SUPPORT
Eagan writes: We would greatly appreciate if you were able to send a letter of support, post on social media, or express support in any other way. Please feel free to share this information with anyone else in your network who might be able to help as well. We need as much support as possible to combat the likely opposition from the food and beverage industry!
If you would like to lend your support, the easiest way to do it is this:
- Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your senator’s office.
- Tell the receptionist your name, that you are a constituent, the specific bill you support, and ask them to relay your support to the HELP Committee.
