Who's in charge here?

In his “muckraking” 1906 novel The Jungle, Upton Sinclair portrayed the underbelly of the American food chain of the time. In addition to becoming a best-seller, this lurid account of the meat-packing industry prompted a series of legislative reforms, including the enactment of consumer protection laws and the establishment of the Food and Drug Administration. The book resonated with its audience because of a perceived crisis: as more Americans moved off farms and became city dwellers, they came to rely on mass-produced food — but with few ways to verify the quality of that food.

Today, the quality of food has prompted a different crisis, as Americans once again ask if our diets are making us — particularly our children — unhealthy. Increased rates of childhood obesity are well documented and an undeniably serious concern. These coincide with the availability and marketing of hundreds of calorie-rich foods (almost all of which were unheard of in Sinclair's day). But the obesity rates are affected by additional societal factors, including fewer energy-burning activities for kids (either chores or play) than were common for earlier generations. At the same time, ironically, family life for many has become faster paced, resulting in more quick-serve (read “high-calorie”) meals both in and out of the home.

As before, government is ready to intervene. In our cover story this month, Senior Editor Betsy Spethmann looks at the steps both state and federal legislators are proposing that would restrict food marketing to children. The feature, the first in a two-part series (continuing in October), also considers how marketers are trying to stay ahead of the wave of public concern by reworking both brand products and marketing.

I'm all for feeding our kids healthy foods. But I also believe in teaching our children to make healthy choices when it comes to food and exercise. And I find it quixotic that, at a time when more marketers talk about turning over control of the brand experience to consumers, government regulators are finding it necessary to take such control away from both manufacturers and consumers.

What do you think?