Katie Couric's Notebook: Sugary Cereals

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

Froot Loops, Cookie Crisp, Reese's Puffs - I almost got a cavity just reading that. Yet, they're the kinds of sugary cereals children beg for at the grocery store.

The boxes and T-V ads usually have a colorful cartoon character on them. But, one group of researchers is not amused.

The Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University reports that cereal companies spend more than $156 million a year on ads geared for kids.

At a time when 12 percent of U.S. children from ages 2 to 5 are considered obese - along with 17 percent of kids 6 to 11 - this problem is anything but sweet.

All parents have been there in that grocery aisle - having to decide between what the kids want and what you know is better for them.

But maybe some oatmeal for your Little Miss Sweet Tooth can help her avoid big health issues in the future.

Don't let a bunny or a tucan take over your parenting role. Tell them you are coo coo for good nutrition, not for Cocoa Puffs.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

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by JayAdlerMusic November 5, 2009 2:03 AM EST: I wish to inject that every morning I eat one of exclusively 3 cereals, Grape Nuts, Special K or Rice Chex topped by a banana, two prunes, golden raisins and dried apricots. I do not consume much red meat and will trend toward fish and salads, nothing fried and I have not been in a fast food restaurant since 1991. I taught a course in the Long Island,NY Adult Ed school system for about a year entitled Change Your Lifestyle. It was a motivational seminar in which I maintained that after maybe 3 weeks of healthy eating and daily exercise (I walk and swim) your body will actually begin to be accustomed to eating healthy and actually reject the sugary and gooey glop. I taught them responsible tactics for eating out which undos many people and deters weight loss.Parenthetically, the course was shelved because nobody wanted to change their life style. I am pushing 60, never been sick or had an operation, no colds or headaches and have not lost my physical strength. Women still hit on me when I go shopping(have to reject them, I have a big family and am married for almost 3o years). You are what you eat.; Reply to this comment