Hurray for Disney…they have done it again!
Many of you may remember that as a family we went on a Disney cruise and I raved about how accomodating they were to my family’s food requirements (if you missed the post click HERE). Disney is further impressing me by becoming the first major media company to ban ads for junk food on their network, though the new standards won’t be fully adopted until 2015.
In their June 5th press release, Disney states:
“Under Disney’s new standards, all food and beverage products advertised, sponsored, or promoted on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney, and Disney-owned online destinations oriented to families with younger children will be required by 2015 to meet Disney’s nutrition guidelines. The nutrition guidelines are aligned to federal standards, promote fruit and vegetable consumption and call for limiting calories and reducing saturated fat, sodium, and sugar.
The emotional connection kids have to our characters and stories gives us a unique opportunity to continue to inspire and encourage them to lead healthier lives.”
“This new initiative is truly a game changer for the health of our children,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This is a major American company – a global brand – that is literally changing the way it does business so that our kids can lead healthier lives. With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the U.S. – and what I hope every company will do going forward. When it comes to the ads they show and the food they sell, they are asking themselves one simple question: “Is this good for our kids?”‘
Disney is also partnering with “healthier” companies to promote their products as can be seen in their latest partnership with Subway. I for one am SUPER PSYCHED to take my daughter to go see the movie Brave and am thrilled to see that the main character is promoting a Subway sandwich meal with fruit (not chips) vs. burgers and fries (though I wished the sandwich was a veggie sandwich!). Progress, right? I am beyond excited to see that we are moving in the right direction and rather than poo pooing the fact that Disney considers dairy and meat to be part of a healthy diet, I choose to take joy in the fact that we are getting there.
“Making healthy eating and physical activity fun is central to creating healthier generations to come,” said Dr. James O. Hill, who worked with Disney to develop its nutrition guidelines, and is executive director of the Anschutz Health & Wellness Center at the University of Colorado. “Disney is using ‘magic’ – fun and creativity – to encourage kids and families to make positive changes, and it is working.”
For more information on Disney’s Magic Of Healthy Living (MOHL) program, click HERE.
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Images courtesy of the Disney Press Room
Yay for Disney! So glad a big name is standing up for healthier choices. I hope their theme parks step up as well and begin offering healthier food choices. It’s tough to find a healthy veg meal at Disneyland or California Adventure that isn’t loaded with fat or sodium or dairy.
I agree…while I have been able to find veggie meals at their theme parks they are all LOADED with salt. I mean, CRAZY salty.
Wow, that’s huge. Good for them! And I agree, I hope they offer healthier choices at the parks too.
Wow! Wonderful news! Hopefully more stations follow suit and encourage people to adopt healthful, active lifestyles!
I love hearing about changes like this – so impressed with Disney. I also just read your recap of your cruise am even more impressed. WOW!!
Does that mean that by 2015 they will no longer sell the high fructose corn syrup types of fruit snacks and other sugary treats in grocery stores too? Way to go Disney for starting something worthwhile and taking a plunge into uncharted territory!