Transcripts

The Agriculture Department Says It's The Calories Not The Carbs That's Upsetting American Eating Habits

PAUL KANGAS: Uncle Sam has a plan for a healthier America: eating less and exercising more. New guidelines out today from the Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture are providing a blueprint on just how to do that. And as Stephanie Woods reports, the food industry is getting the message.

STEPHANIE WOODS, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT CORRESPONDENT: The new food guidelines stress eating more fruit, vegetables and whole grains and less sugar, salt and fat. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says the food industry is aware consumers need more nutritious options.

TOMMY THOMPSON, SECRETARY, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: They are very cognizant of the need to lower the calories, lower the sugar, lower the sizes and so on, and so I think we're having an impact on the food industry, and I think this is going to be helpful.

WOODS: As part of that impact, Kraft today announced a new labeling program called sensible solutions for some of its products. Kraft will also stop advertising Oreos, Chips Ahoy and some lunchables to children. General Mills says it has already increased the whole-grain content and lowered the sugar content of many of its cereals. And Sara Lee is expanding its whole grain bread line. While the industry says it welcomes the changes, taking out sugars and fats and adding whole grains to foods must be done carefully.

ALISON KRETSER, DIETICIAN, GROCERY MANUFACTURERS OF AMERICA: We will need to make sure that those foods are palatable and enjoyable by families. We also need to make sure they are convenient and they're in a form that is readily easy to consume. All of those factors come into play.

WOODS: Critics of the food industry say the dietary guidelines have done little to improve the quality of processed food and they don't hold out much hope now.

MICHAEL JACOBSON, CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: I think the guidelines will serve as a mild pressure on industry to improve its products, but we're not going to see major changes until the government comes forth with well-funded programs to educate the public and regulations to limit the trans fat content, the salt content of foods.

WOODS: HHS Secretary Thompson says while the industry is doing more to provide consumers healthy choices, the government needs to do a better job educating consumers about just what those choices are. Stephanie Woods, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT, Washington.