Jan. 6, 2005 -- A watchdog group called on food and beverage makers Thursdayto scale back advertising of junk food to children, warning that relentlessmarketing is contributing to rising rates of obesity among young people.

The report calls on food manufacturers, media companies, schools, and othersto limit child-targeted marketing to foods that meet criteria for goodnutrition. It also asks companies to scale back the use of marketing techniquespairing unhealthy food with popular cartoon characters, movies, and otherimages that children enjoy but critics say undermine the ability of parents tomonitor what kids eat.

Ideally, only healthful foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grainproducts would be marketed to kids, writes the Center for Science in the PublicInterest, in a news release.

"If companies want to put [Finding] Nemo toys in bagsof baby carrots, we're all for it. But that's not what's happening," saysMargo G. Wootan, who authored the guidelines for the CSPI.

Instead, the group displayed dozens of food products identifiable not onlyby their high-fat or sugar contents, but also by bright packaging, movietie-ins, or cartoon character endorsement on boxes. "What we're reallyasking is that marketers act responsibly, and not urge kids to eat foods thatcould harm their health," says Wootan.

Advocates have long called for curbs on advertising aimed at minors,complaining that companies target youngsters who spend more time than everabsorbing media messages.

Federal lawmakers and regulators have balked at efforts to curb foodindustry advertising, usually citing free speech concerns. Wootan says thatThursday's guidelines are a call for companies to voluntarily change theirmarketing practices.

Companies should now cease targeting children for advertising about foodshigh in fat, sugar, or sodium or those that are delivered in unreasonably largeportion sizes, the guidelines state. They also call on media companies andschools to refuse to market foods and drinks that do not meet basic nutritionalstandards for kids.

The CSPI suggests that companies market:

• Drinks that contain at least 50% fruit juice and no added caloricsweeteners
• Water and seltzer without added caloric sweeteners
• Low-fat and fat-free milk, including flavored milks

They also say marketers should offer foods that provide basic nutrients andhave:

• Less than 30% of total calories from fat (excluding fat from nuts, seeds,and peanut or other nut butters)
• Less than 10% of calories from saturated plus hydrogenated fat
• Less than 25% of calories from added sugars
• No more than 150 milligrams of sodium per serving of snack items; no morethan 480 milligrams per serving for soups, pastas, meats, and main dishes; andno more than 600 milligrams for meals

More than 15% of children aged 6 to 19 qualify as obese. This percentage hasmore than doubled over the last two decades. Many more are identified asoverweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Approximately 19 million American children over age 6 are now obese oroverweight, putting them at higher risk for developing diabetes, heart disease,and a variety of other illnesses.

An Institute of Medicine report issued in September called for drasticaction against rising childhood obesity. Experts stated then that food industryefforts at self-regulation of child-directed advertising were ineffective andshould be rethought.