Choice Science

Dean Eileen T. Kennedy of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, demonstrates quality nutrition judgement and awareness: "'You’re rushing around, you’re trying to think about healthy eating for your kids and you have a choice between a doughnut and a cereal,' Dr. Kennedy said, evoking a hypothetical parent in the supermarket. 'So Froot Loops is a better choice.'"

Uh... are those really the only 2 choices, Dean? - who is also, incidentally, President of the Smart Choices board.

"Despite federal guidelines favoring whole grains, the criteria allow breads made with no whole grains to get the seal if they have added nutrients.

'You could start out with some sawdust, add calcium or Vitamin A and meet the criteria,' Mr. Jacobson said.

Nutritionists questioned other foods given the Smart Choices label. The program gives the seal to both regular and light mayonnaise, which could lead consumers to think they are both equally healthy..."

"...'The object of this is to make highly processed foods appear as healthful as unprocessed foods, which they are not,' said Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor at New York University."

"What I'm perhaps most disgusted about is the participation of Eileen T. Kennedy in this project. She's the president of the Smart Choices board... and the dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. I'm friendly with a number of Friedman School students, faculty, and graduates, and quite frankly, this is not something I would have expected from them. Big Food will always be Big Food, but they don't need to have academics and health experts lending credibility to their bullshit in this way."

They're betting that this is a very smart choice for their industry. Unfortunately for the kids, the final choice will be made by 'we the shoppers', and our record of achievement in the face of sugar is very poor.