I joined the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a
nutritional professional (not a dietitian) a little over a year ago because I wanted
to be a part of a professional organization focused on the promotion of nutritional
health, education and public policy. The American Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics received lots of negative media attention over the past week because of
the announcement that Kraft Singles will soon carry the Academy’s Kid’s Eat
Right logo.
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| https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3876/15101893732_4375d8593e_h.jpg |
News Headlines
Coverages spreads fast in today’s 24-hour, instant media market and the quality
of coverage varies. I hesitate to use the word journalist to refer to most
writers who cover “news” these days, particularly when it comes to nutrition
related news. Often times, the coverage is not researched and involves no more than
regurgitating press releases issued by motivated and biased parties. Over the
past week, Kraft announced that their processed cheese squares, Kraft Singles
with 2% milk, will carry the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Kids
Eat Right logo.
Here is a link to the article that appeared on New York
Times blog that started it all: A Cheese 'Product' Gains Kids' Nutrition Seal (3/15/2015).
Kraft Singles will soon carry the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Kids Eat
Right logo on 2% milk Kraft Singles Products. Overnight, Kraft American cheese singles rose
from being perceived as barely a food choice to a health food recommended by
nutrition experts. Here are a few of the thousands of links covering it.
NY Times blogger Stephanie
Storm wrote that according to Kraft the logo is an endorsement
of Kraft Singles. Not true, according to Mary Beth Whelan, Vice President/Executive Director of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Whelan was quoted as saying “the Kids Eat Right logo on Kraft Singles packaging identifies the
brand as a proud supporter of Kids Eat Right... It also serves to drive broader
visibility to KidsEatRight.org, a trusted educational resource for consumers.”
Are
we really to believe that people are going to see the Kids Eat Right logo and
think “sure, the dietitians don't support this product rather Kraft is a supporter of KidsEatRight.org." In a March 17, 2015 letter to the
membership about the Kids Eat Right logo, Nutrition and Dietetics Academy CEO Patricia Babjack stated
it was “... not an endorsement. It [was] not a seal of approval.” Keep saying
that President Whelan and CEO Babjack. It’s a difficult message to swallow and digest and
not one that the media is picking up.
What is Kids Eat Right?
KidsEatRight.org provides excellent resources for parents
and other care givers looking for nutrition information and ideas for children
of all ages. The site offers recipes, suggestions, videos, discusses
hot-topics, and connect you with other resources (like local dietitians) to
help answer nutrition questions. The information provided is reliable and put
together and reviewed by experts in nutrition and dietetics.
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| http://www.eatright.org/resources/for-kids |
Final Thoughts
It may take a while for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
to recover from this debacle. As a member of the organization, I was unaware that
manufacturers could purchases a Kids Eat Right logo from the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics. I don’t know what (or if) criteria exist for products to be
eligible to carry the logo. I don't know how a reasonable person going
to know that the Kids Eat Right logo is not
a product endorsement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The label and the intent of the label is
not intuitive. I would not know or assume, even with the little tagline that is part of the labeling purchase, that it means the manufacturer endorses KidsEatRight.org
but that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has nothing to say about the
product.
I joined thousands (more than 10,000) of others when I signed a petition calling for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to
stop the misleading practice of selling the Kids Eat Right logo. It saddens and disappoints me that this happened, especially during
a time when nutrition professionals are working towards increasing clarity on food labels and ingredient lists. That this happened at a time when large public bodies are calling out questionable and illegal practices
in the dietary supplement industry.
Considering the breadth of conflicting, over-staed, and
sometimes blatantly deceptive nutrition information out there already, I
sincerely apologize if you feel let down by the nutrition organization you should be able to rely on most to advocate for your best interest.
Jon Stewart Explains the Kids Eat Right Label on Kraft Singles
UPDATE! Nutrition Tuesday: Do Dietitians Really Support Kraft Singles? Update! posted April, 1, 2015
Jon Stewart Explains the Kids Eat Right Label on Kraft Singles
UPDATE! Nutrition Tuesday: Do Dietitians Really Support Kraft Singles? Update! posted April, 1, 2015
