Protecting Children from Harmful Food Marketing: Options for Local Government to Make a Difference

The prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States imposes a major burden on society in health care costs and children’s physical and mental health (1). Meanwhile, the food industry spends massive amounts of money marketing calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods, and its marketing specifically targets children (2). The obesity crisis cannot be solved without dramatic changes to the obesogenic marketing environment that surrounds children (3).