Obesity: Laws and Bills
Following are laws and legislation to combat the childhood obesity epidemic.
Read our Childhood Obesity Prevention Agenda (html/pdf), Parents' Bill of Rights and fact sheet on childhood obesity and the marketing of junk food in schools.
More Information
News Releases
Childhood Obesity Prevention Campaign Launched
Gary Ruskin | April 2nd, 2003
Related Articles and Links
Related Articles
Canadians back ban on junk food ads targeting kids: Survey
Sarah Schmidt | Vancouver Sun | January 10th, 2012
Food Marketing to Children Through Toys
JJ Otten, et al. | American Journal of Preventive Medicine | January 9th, 2012
McDonald's Digital Promos Geotarget College Kids
by Karlene Lukovitz | MediaPost News | December 16th, 2011
The Health of Children and Consumers is Threatened by Conservative Push for Corporate Speech Rights
Steven Rosenfeld | December 13th, 2011
Supervalu War on Obesity Drowned Out by Kraft Marketing: Retail
Leslie Patton | Bloomberg | December 13th, 2011
Junk food may be returning to school vending machines in Seattle
Brian M. Rosenthal | Seattle Times | December 12th, 2011
Food giants fight proposed nutrition guidelines
Carolyn Lochhead | SFGate | December 12th, 2011
Cereal? Cookies? Oh, What’s the Diff?
Mark Bittman | The New York Times | December 9th, 2011
Fast-food toy ban no aid to nutrition, study says
Erin Allday | SFGate | December 8th, 2011
Twinkies for Breakfast? Kids’ Cereals Fail Industry’s own Lame Nutrition Guidelines
Michele Simon | Appetite for Profit | December 8th, 2011
Toying with the Happy Meal: Is McDonald's Evading the Law?
Michele Simon | Food Safety News | December 6th, 2011
McDonald's using SF Happy Meal ban as fundraiser while skirting law Read more at the San Francisco
Joshua Sabatini | San Francisco Examiner | November 30th, 2011
IOM releases tough report on front-of-package labeling
Marion Nestle | Food Politics | October 20th, 2011
The Candification of Our Food: The Case of the Fruit-Less Fruit Snack
Samira Kawash | The Atlantic | October 20th, 2011
Gov't pulls back on junk food marketing proposal
Mary Clare Jalonick | Associated Press | October 12th, 2011
We're Not Buying It: Stop junk food marketing to kids
Prevention Insitute | October 7th, 2011
Companies marketing food to kids need stronger guidelines, health advocates say
Jeannine Stein | Los Angeles Times | October 7th, 2011
Study Suggests that Children’s Food Choices are Affected by Direct Advertising and Parental Influenc
The Journal of Pediatrics | October 6th, 2011
Who’s for kids and who’s just kidding?
David Britt and Lori Dorfman | The Hill | October 6th, 2011
Kids Marketing Guidelines Advocates Fight Back
Karlene Lukovitz | MediaPost News | October 5th, 2011
Coca Cola's latest predatory cartoon proves why voluntary advertising commitments are useless!
Yoni Freedhoff | Weight Matters | October 4th, 2011
Expand the Use of Food Stamps?
The New York Times | September 28th, 2011
Big Food exerts unhealthy influence on America’s nutritionists
Grist | September 27th, 2011
Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?
The New York Times | September 26th, 2011
Many healthy returns: a role for business in reducing lifestyle disease
The Guardian - The Sustainable Business Blog | September 23rd, 2011
Rogue food study typifies wasteful Fed: State reps slam IWG food marketing guidelines
Politico | September 23rd, 2011
Battle of commercial interests confound fight against noncommunicable diseases
Washington Post | September 21st, 2011
Are You Being Tricked Into Eating Junk Food?
Huffington Post | September 20th, 2011
UN leader accuses big business of health cover-up
AFP | September 19th, 2011
Proponents of New Food Marketing Guidelines Win Senate Victory
Adweek | September 19th, 2011
Conflicts of interest and the UN high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases
The Lancet | September 19th, 2011
Can KFC Fatwash Its Obesity Image?
Hive Health Media | June 16th, 2011
American Beverage Association tops NY lobbying expenditure list
FoodNavigatorUSA.com | May 10th, 2011
Soft Drink Industry Fights Proposed Food Stamp Ban
The New York Times | May 2nd, 2011
Trans fat ban mulled in Illinois
MSNBC | May 2nd, 2011
U.S. Seeks New Limits on Food Ads for Children
The New York Times | April 29th, 2011
Advertisers Rebuke Obama Administration's Proposed Rules on Marketing Food to Kids
Ad Age | April 29th, 2011
Big Sugar Sues Big Corn Over "Corn Sugar" Ad Campaign For HFCS
The Consumerist | April 29th, 2011
Attorney files lawsuit over lunch meat
Live5News.com | April 25th, 2011
FDA Proposes More Food Establishments Provide Calorie Info In Menus
The Consumerist | April 4th, 2011
Total Sellout: American Academy of Family Physicians Lets Coca-Cola Sponsor Health Advice
David Gutierrez | NaturalNews | March 19th, 2010
Australian Food Companies Agree Not to Push Junk on Kids
AFP | October 24th, 2008
New Push for Junk Food Ad Bans
The Age (Australia) | August 28th, 2008
Council To Consider Junk Food Ad Ban For Kids
Metroland Durham Region Media Group (Canada) | April 9th, 2008
Food Industry Advertising Draws Fire From Children's Health Advocates
Eric Pfanner | International Herald Tribune | March 23rd, 2008
Groups Urge Limits on Food Ads for Kids
Julie Jargon | The Wall Street Journal | March 15th, 2008
Junk Food Ad Ban Comes into Force in Britain
Agence France-Presse | January 1st, 2008
Fast Food Gets its Greasy Hands on Report Cards
Julie Deardorff | Chicago Tribune | December 16th, 2007
Food companies sign EU ad pledge
Mark Sweney | Guardian (UK) | December 11th, 2007
Effort to Limit Junk Food in Schools Faces Hurdles
Kim Severson | The New York Times | December 2nd, 2007
Junk food ad limits 'not enough'
BBC News | November 12th, 2007
External Links
California State Law: Pupil Health
State Senator Martha Escutia | October 14, 2001
New York City:"Junk Food and Soda Free Schools Act"
New York City Councilman David Yassky | November 20, 2002
Utah: "Elementary School Vending Machine Sales"
Utah State Representative Patricia Jones | January 8, 2003
Washington: "An Act Relating to the Sales of Competitive Foods Sold and Served on Public School Campuses"
Washington State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles | January 24, 2003
Wisconsin: AB 103
Wisconsin State Assemblyman Marlin Schneider | February 9, 1999
New York State law on "Commercialism in Public Schools"
| April 6, 1990
Rhode Island law on "Restrictions on Commercial Activity and Fundraising in Public Schools"
Maryland: "Captive Audience/Stop Commercialism in Schools Act of 2001"
Maryland State Senator Paul Pinsky |
Maryland: "Commercialism in Schools Act of 2002"
Maryland State Senator Paul Pinsky |
Kentucky: "...prohibiting the sale or distribution of carbonated beverages in public elementary schools"
Kentucky Representative Tim Feely |
Oklahoma: SB 1668 Limiting Access to Vending Machines
Oklahoma State Senaotr Bernest Cain |