Greetings! The twins are turning 4 this weekend and we are having a birthday party! Should be a lot of fun.
Here are 5 nutrition related stories that caught my eye this week. Enjoy and let me know what’s on your mind.
Beware of this high tech coke vending machine
Called the Freestyle, a high tech Coke vending machine will soon allow you to make your own personalized beverage by selecting a combination of flavors injected on demand into carbonated water. In light of falling soda sales over the last 5 years, and an actual drop of about 2% in 2009, Coke is betting that by getting you to play with these machines, you will drink more soda! I say, watch out and don’t fall for it even if it seems free at your favorite fast food restaurant.
I am all for technology – and believe me, this new machine is really high tech – but this kind of innovation is misguided and reflects linear thinking. The logic is simple – get people to drink more soda so you can make a few more dollars (actually a lot more!) each year. And why worry about a soda tax when you can get the restaurant owners to pay up for these fancy gadgets!
If Coke wants to reinvigorate its brand and re-engage consumers, in the words of its Vice President in-charge of Freestyle, why not do something that actually makes them healthy? Surely they have no shortage of smart engineers and brilliant marketers. How long do they want to keep going with the same Open Happiness message?
Skip the soda fountain. Ask for water. Vote with your wallet and don’t fall for these gimmicks.
Consumers link food to health and expect food companies to do more
Nearly 1 in 4 consumers look at food as a means of health and about 1 in 5 consider it a way to connecting with friends and family. This according to a farm-to-fork survey by StrategyOne which randomly asked 1000 US adults 3 simple questions to understand their attitudes and opinions about food.
About 90% of these consumers expect supermarkets to focus on health, wellness and nutrition, but only 68% found it important for fast food companies. Over 90% want food companies to offer healthy products which also taste good, and offer more healthy food choices. They also expect these companies to help solve community problems such as childhood obesity and malnutrition.
The data is encouraging. Although the sample size is small, the message is clear. When will the food companies begin to pay attention?
Choose organic to reduce risk of chemical exposure and cancer
The President’s Cancer Panel is raising a red flag on chemical exposure as a potential cause for cancer, which is becoming a growing concern especially in children. According to an Op-Ed in the New York Times, the cancer panel is about to release a 200-page report recommending better oversight, and possibly new regulation, to manage our exposure to chemicals. “Only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals used in America have been tested for safety”, and “many known or suspected carcinogens are completely regulated”, says the report.
Although, it is important to be careful about chemicals, there is no reason to panic. I think a lot of has to do with the notion what you don’t know can hurt you, because of the very poor public awareness about chemicals. Modern life, and its conveniences, is a direct result of our success with using chemicals. Based on my personal experience I can say that the chemical industry takes its responsibility about chemical safety extremely seriously. Exercising caution is prudent, but there is no need to panic.
Since young children are most susceptible to the risks of chemicals, one easy action you can take is to rely more on organic foods, especially fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats. Organic certification on a food product means that it is produced without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and hormones. It may cost you extra, but there are ways you can buy organic on a budget.
Solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation
The White House task force on childhood obesity has a plan to solve this problem within a generation. They have issued a 120-page report with 70 recommendations for the federal, state and local governments as well as the private sector so we can get back to a 5% childhood obesity rates of the early 1970′s. Today we are at close to 20% and if these recommendations are acted upon, the task force believes that we can reach this goal by 2030.
I like the comprehensive research and the holistic perspective outlined in this report. This problem cannot be solved by a mandate from the government. Everyone has a role to play – parents, schools, community service organizations, food companies should take responsibility. I also like clearly defined benchmarks for metrics for success.
I plan to take a closer look at the report and write about it in future. Feel free to share your opinion on how this problem can be solved in our lifetime!
Make veggies interesting to eat, not just nutritious
Don’t sell the idea of health and the same old good for you when trying to encourage your kids to eat more veggies. Make it fun and exciting, suggests Dr Susan Robin, a holistic nutritionist, in her article Getting Kids to Eat More Veggies is More Fun Than You Think. I couldn’t agree more!
Coke does not sell nutrition in a bottle, they sell happiness. Food marketing is not much different, although a lot of health related claims are often mixed with the idea of fun, satisfaction and excitement. Take a page out of the food marketers playbook and turn it around! That is what I liked about Dr Robin’s article – they used a cool music video about making hummus to encourage kids to eat more chickpeas at a summer camp.
A word of caution though – I think it is ok to learn from the food marketers playbook, but don’t just copy it. Twist it around because there is no way you can win by doing what they do. They have more money to buy more star power. I have been thinking about the idea of creating your family’s personal brand about food and nutrition as you try to counter the overwhelming influence of major food brands. Not an easy task, but it is a very different approach and will surely take time. I plan to build on this idea in future. In the meantime, feel free to share your ideas.
Have a great weekend!
Photo: adactio on Flickr
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