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Kellogg Drops Health Claim
For the second time in a year, Kellogg Company has agreed to drop a questionable health claim from one of its cereals. In an expanded settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Kellogg agreed to stop using statements on Rice Krispies that the product “now helps support your child's immunity” and “has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy.” In the original settlement last year, the company stopped claiming that Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal was “clinically shown to improve kids' attentiveness by nearly 20%” and agreed it would refrain from cognitive health claims about its breakfast or snack products. The expanded settlement now prohibits Kellogg from making claims about any health benefit of any food unless those claims are backed by scientific evidence.
FDA Issues Final Tobacco Rule
The Food and Drug Administration has implemented its new rule designed to significantly curb children's use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products by making those products less accessible and attractive. The new rule prohibits cigarette sales to minors and ends sales from self-service machines and displays. It also prohibits tobacco–brand name sponsorship of athletic, musical, social, or cultural events and of teams. The rule bans tobacco-logo items such as hats and t-shirts and the reward of gifts or other items given in exchange for buying tobacco products. It requires that audio ads for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco use only words with no music or sound effects. The FDA said it is working with manufacturers and retailers to make sure they understand the new requirements, but it also reminded them that retailers who don't comply with the new rules may be subject to enforcement action.
School Food Bill Introduced
School lunch programs would receive 6 cents more per lunch served—the first real increase in reimbursement in 30 years—under legislation introduced by key House lawmakers to improve child nutrition (H.R. 5504). The bill, sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, also would increase the number of children eligible for free meals, increase funding for nutrition education in schools, and work to incorporate local produce into school lunches. The bill would extend Department of Agriculture nutrition requirements to foods sold in vending machines and a-la-carte items—not just meals—in schools. It also would require schools to sell only low-fat milk in their lunch lines. The legislation, which would cost $8 billion over 10 years, includes proposals from First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative against childhood obesity. A similar bill is pending in the Senate.
Childhood Obesity Toolkit Out
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association are rolling out a physician toolkit designed to combat childhood obesity and diabetes. Initially developed by the North Carolina Blues organization in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the toolkit will be made available to pediatricians nationwide. It includes tip sheets, wall posters, physician reference materials, tracking sheets, and brochures with educational information. It comes in both English and Spanish. The educational materials encourage children to eat fruits and vegetables, limit their screen time, skip sweetened drinks, and exercise.
State to Cover Autism Treatment
Wisconsin's Medicaid program said it will pay for families' use of Rethink Autism, a Web-based program with a comprehensive evidence-based curriculum. The program provides parents with more than 1,200 video-based teaching steps, parent training modules, an assessment tool, and features for tracking a child's progress. The curriculum spans the entire autism spectrum and covers a broad range of skills, including academic, language, social, motor, daily living, and behavior management. The company behind Rethink Autism said in a statement that its program will be important for families that are no longer receiving intensive autism interventions, those waiting for intensive in-home autism treatment services, and those looking to complement their existing treatment plan.
FDA to Review Dental Amalgam
The FDA said it will hold an advisory panel meeting in December to review issues related to possible risk from dental amalgam for pregnant women, fetuses, and young children. Dental amalgam is a mixture of metals, including liquid mercury and a powdered amalgam alloy composed primarily of silver, tin, and copper. The FDA last year designated special controls for dental amalgam and dental mercury. Since then, scientific and advocacy groups have raised questions about the FDA's analysis of the risks posed by mercury and dental amalgam, the cumulative biological effect of mercury, the exposure of pediatric populations to mercury vapor, and the adequacy of the clinical studies on dental amalgam.
Kellogg Drops Health Claim
For the second time in a year, Kellogg Company has agreed to drop a questionable health claim from one of its cereals. In an expanded settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Kellogg agreed to stop using statements on Rice Krispies that the product “now helps support your child's immunity” and “has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy.” In the original settlement last year, the company stopped claiming that Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal was “clinically shown to improve kids' attentiveness by nearly 20%” and agreed it would refrain from cognitive health claims about its breakfast or snack products. The expanded settlement now prohibits Kellogg from making claims about any health benefit of any food unless those claims are backed by scientific evidence.
FDA Issues Final Tobacco Rule
The Food and Drug Administration has implemented its new rule designed to significantly curb children's use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products by making those products less accessible and attractive. The new rule prohibits cigarette sales to minors and ends sales from self-service machines and displays. It also prohibits tobacco–brand name sponsorship of athletic, musical, social, or cultural events and of teams. The rule bans tobacco-logo items such as hats and t-shirts and the reward of gifts or other items given in exchange for buying tobacco products. It requires that audio ads for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco use only words with no music or sound effects. The FDA said it is working with manufacturers and retailers to make sure they understand the new requirements, but it also reminded them that retailers who don't comply with the new rules may be subject to enforcement action.
School Food Bill Introduced
School lunch programs would receive 6 cents more per lunch served—the first real increase in reimbursement in 30 years—under legislation introduced by key House lawmakers to improve child nutrition (H.R. 5504). The bill, sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, also would increase the number of children eligible for free meals, increase funding for nutrition education in schools, and work to incorporate local produce into school lunches. The bill would extend Department of Agriculture nutrition requirements to foods sold in vending machines and a-la-carte items—not just meals—in schools. It also would require schools to sell only low-fat milk in their lunch lines. The legislation, which would cost $8 billion over 10 years, includes proposals from First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative against childhood obesity. A similar bill is pending in the Senate.
Childhood Obesity Toolkit Out
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association are rolling out a physician toolkit designed to combat childhood obesity and diabetes. Initially developed by the North Carolina Blues organization in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the toolkit will be made available to pediatricians nationwide. It includes tip sheets, wall posters, physician reference materials, tracking sheets, and brochures with educational information. It comes in both English and Spanish. The educational materials encourage children to eat fruits and vegetables, limit their screen time, skip sweetened drinks, and exercise.
State to Cover Autism Treatment
Wisconsin's Medicaid program said it will pay for families' use of Rethink Autism, a Web-based program with a comprehensive evidence-based curriculum. The program provides parents with more than 1,200 video-based teaching steps, parent training modules, an assessment tool, and features for tracking a child's progress. The curriculum spans the entire autism spectrum and covers a broad range of skills, including academic, language, social, motor, daily living, and behavior management. The company behind Rethink Autism said in a statement that its program will be important for families that are no longer receiving intensive autism interventions, those waiting for intensive in-home autism treatment services, and those looking to complement their existing treatment plan.
FDA to Review Dental Amalgam
The FDA said it will hold an advisory panel meeting in December to review issues related to possible risk from dental amalgam for pregnant women, fetuses, and young children. Dental amalgam is a mixture of metals, including liquid mercury and a powdered amalgam alloy composed primarily of silver, tin, and copper. The FDA last year designated special controls for dental amalgam and dental mercury. Since then, scientific and advocacy groups have raised questions about the FDA's analysis of the risks posed by mercury and dental amalgam, the cumulative biological effect of mercury, the exposure of pediatric populations to mercury vapor, and the adequacy of the clinical studies on dental amalgam.
Kellogg Drops Health Claim
For the second time in a year, Kellogg Company has agreed to drop a questionable health claim from one of its cereals. In an expanded settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Kellogg agreed to stop using statements on Rice Krispies that the product “now helps support your child's immunity” and “has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy.” In the original settlement last year, the company stopped claiming that Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal was “clinically shown to improve kids' attentiveness by nearly 20%” and agreed it would refrain from cognitive health claims about its breakfast or snack products. The expanded settlement now prohibits Kellogg from making claims about any health benefit of any food unless those claims are backed by scientific evidence.
FDA Issues Final Tobacco Rule
The Food and Drug Administration has implemented its new rule designed to significantly curb children's use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products by making those products less accessible and attractive. The new rule prohibits cigarette sales to minors and ends sales from self-service machines and displays. It also prohibits tobacco–brand name sponsorship of athletic, musical, social, or cultural events and of teams. The rule bans tobacco-logo items such as hats and t-shirts and the reward of gifts or other items given in exchange for buying tobacco products. It requires that audio ads for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco use only words with no music or sound effects. The FDA said it is working with manufacturers and retailers to make sure they understand the new requirements, but it also reminded them that retailers who don't comply with the new rules may be subject to enforcement action.
School Food Bill Introduced
School lunch programs would receive 6 cents more per lunch served—the first real increase in reimbursement in 30 years—under legislation introduced by key House lawmakers to improve child nutrition (H.R. 5504). The bill, sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, also would increase the number of children eligible for free meals, increase funding for nutrition education in schools, and work to incorporate local produce into school lunches. The bill would extend Department of Agriculture nutrition requirements to foods sold in vending machines and a-la-carte items—not just meals—in schools. It also would require schools to sell only low-fat milk in their lunch lines. The legislation, which would cost $8 billion over 10 years, includes proposals from First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative against childhood obesity. A similar bill is pending in the Senate.
Childhood Obesity Toolkit Out
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association are rolling out a physician toolkit designed to combat childhood obesity and diabetes. Initially developed by the North Carolina Blues organization in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the toolkit will be made available to pediatricians nationwide. It includes tip sheets, wall posters, physician reference materials, tracking sheets, and brochures with educational information. It comes in both English and Spanish. The educational materials encourage children to eat fruits and vegetables, limit their screen time, skip sweetened drinks, and exercise.
State to Cover Autism Treatment
Wisconsin's Medicaid program said it will pay for families' use of Rethink Autism, a Web-based program with a comprehensive evidence-based curriculum. The program provides parents with more than 1,200 video-based teaching steps, parent training modules, an assessment tool, and features for tracking a child's progress. The curriculum spans the entire autism spectrum and covers a broad range of skills, including academic, language, social, motor, daily living, and behavior management. The company behind Rethink Autism said in a statement that its program will be important for families that are no longer receiving intensive autism interventions, those waiting for intensive in-home autism treatment services, and those looking to complement their existing treatment plan.
FDA to Review Dental Amalgam
The FDA said it will hold an advisory panel meeting in December to review issues related to possible risk from dental amalgam for pregnant women, fetuses, and young children. Dental amalgam is a mixture of metals, including liquid mercury and a powdered amalgam alloy composed primarily of silver, tin, and copper. The FDA last year designated special controls for dental amalgam and dental mercury. Since then, scientific and advocacy groups have raised questions about the FDA's analysis of the risks posed by mercury and dental amalgam, the cumulative biological effect of mercury, the exposure of pediatric populations to mercury vapor, and the adequacy of the clinical studies on dental amalgam.