The Cheerios Kerfluffle
Summary: The story got big because it has roots deep in history. Cereals developed as a health food, and health claims have always been part of the game. Deregulation let manufacturers go back to making such claims, a decade ago.
I love me some Cheerios in the morning.
I love the way they bounce on top of the milk and absorb it slowly. If I get interrupted by the phone while eating them, I can return in a few minutes and still enjoy them. Flakes turn into glue in that time.
I am also a future heart patient. My cholesterol is high and I take drugs for hypertension. So I have been amused as General Mills has added health claims to its ads and packaging.
I didn't take them seriously but the new FDA did. And so we have a growing controversy over the Cheerios box.
The Wall Street Journal says the FDA is treating Cheerios like a drug. Rush Limbaugh says we shouldn't worry about it. The Washington Post disdainfully reports the FDA is making the world safe from Cheerios.
In fact the agency just sent General Mills a warning letter, restating the long-held principle that if you're going to make health claims in your ads or packaging back them up. The FDA was created during the first cereal boom, early in the last century
The story got big because it has roots deep in history. Cereals developed as a health food, and health claims have always been part of the game. Deregulation let manufacturers go back to making such claims, a decade ago.
The industry is reluctant to lose that health patina, in part, because it changed in the last decade in order to pursue it. Sugar is no longer the big selling point, although it remains a major ingredient. Now the pitch is straight out of The Road to Wellville.
So this issue is symbolic on many levels. It represents a reversal in the direction of policy, one with deep roots in history. The ridicule has not caused the agency to reverse course, which is newsworthy. So far General Mills isn't backing down, either.
Something to enjoy with my morning Cheerios.
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Talkback
Ultimately General Mills will win
If the FDA flat out refuses to do so under any circumstance, then it goes to the judicial system (i.e. GM will sue the FDA). And once it gets to that point, judicial system has this funny thing where they tend to take the US Constitution very seriously. And the Constitution is very clear about how the government cannot abridge one's freedom of speech without just cause. And the FDA's claim of "it can't make a health claim unless it's a drug" is not going to pass as just cause, because that is an arbitrary rule. The only way a judge would rule against General Mills is if either the claim is false, or if the FDA gave them a clear procedure to be able to make the claim and General Mills failed to complete that procedure.
Claims can be overly broad
lawyer but I remember cases like this back in
the day and the FDA usually won.
So how about other claims...
ginger ale reduces the nausea of chemotherapy,
the ability to stand chemo is a key to beating
cancer, thus Canada Dry cures cancer.
Stands on the same ground as Cheerios prevents
heart attack. There is not that much fiber in
Cheerios, especially compared to, say, steel-cut
oats. Cheerios alone will not lower your serum
cholesterol -- it must be done in conjunction
with other dietary changes.
The claim is dramatically overblown.
Only if they prove their claim
They need to cough up their research that proves the medical claim - that their cereal reduces cholesterol by 4% in 6 weeks. That's a specific, testable claim. If they have the research that backs this up, and if other, more independent, reserachers can replicate that result, they will win.
Otherwise they will have to stop making that claim.
An excellent summary
based on testing by General Mills but on science
indicating that water soluble fibers can have
this particular impact on serum cholesterol.
It will cost General Mills money to get the
proof but if they can get it more power to them.
I do prefer the regular Cheerios to the honey
nut kind, by the way. The sugar on the latter
makes it impossible for milk to penetrate, and
they taste kind of oily to me.
If it brings focus then it will help
Cherrios and they actually stop and think
about it. Might even see that it will help
IF you eat right for your other meals and
exercise.
Success is based on taking the time to
think about what you should be doing -
even though you know already.
Sometimes it takes being told to have
other factors checked. Or connecting the
dots. Case in point? Dana says. "My
cholesterol is high and I take drugs for
hypertension". As an OSA patient I would
have him ask his wife if he snores and if
he does then get a sleep study. If he has
a high deductible then it is probably
cheaper to just get an autopap. (email me
at oldhh.mac if you want information on
this, Dana.) Other factors pointing to OSA
would be reflux at night and diabetes.
Diabetes can be identified with an a1c hemoglobin blood test.
So now Dana knows about other potential
problems that might be related (or
causing the hypertension) and may or may
not do anything about it. It's the same
with the claims (or "guidance") on the
cereal box.
had the tests, thanks
I've had the tests you mention, Dr. Ken. I have
lost weight which has helped my sleeping and
reduced snoring.
In my case it's genetic. My mom has a bp of 200
over 150, with medication, and she's A-OK for an
86 year old. Dad had 30 years of heart problems
due to his high cholesterol, for which statins
were unavailable then.
Glad you're doing well!
- we tend to say something about it when we see indicators,
like diabetes or hypertension. As long as you wake up
refreshed after 8 hours of sleep and don't stop breathing (for
over 10 seconds at a time) you're probably OK.
My mother died after her second stroke and it was only after I
started understanding OSA (after my 1998 Dx) that I
understood her problem was OSA caused hypertension. She
died about 2 years before Colin Sullivan (a real Dr.) discovered
cpap as a treatment for OSA.
I have known OSA sufferers
a few episodes. But I just got up and feel about
as refreshed as you can after 8 good hours...so
no worries. Off to the gym.
Lies, Damned Lies and Cheerios Boxes
Empty calories, nothing more...
The original health claims
based on the fiber in completely unsweetened
cereal. His brother W.K. angered him terribly by
adding some sugar to the flakes, creating the
Kellogg's company we know today.
Had a lovely time on vacation in Battle Creek.
Go there. It's fun.
well Dana we all know that cheerios is save us all from heart problem
Doctor are expensive
try to cut the fast food ( i know it hard guilty as charge )
Is there anything better than a cheeseburger made out of fresh tender loin rare ,sourdough buns ,home made condiment , strong cheese maybe a slice of duck liver on the top.... Home fresh fries a 2 gallon of good red wine / or some samuel adams boston lager serve in a bath tub size glass . in the end 20 pound of anti acid to make sure that you survive :) that a weekend..
Dana please your drooling on the keyboard please
Good week end Dana
Damn it Cheerios as medicine what next fruit loop as anti depressor , captain crush for diabetes ,sugar crisp for mental illness, my favorite count Coco for hemophilia ..wait frosted flakes for erectile problem (there great) ..... that does it im drunk may my liver forgive me tomorrow
You hit the nail on the head
medicine. Unless they want to get it approved
like medicine.
Got some fried cheese curds with that meal? I've
heard Quebec makes fine ones. And some of those
mayonnaise-based sauces with the fries, too.
We've got a number of places in Atlanta who are
now doing it that way.
Oh, and one of your sweet bagels. Let's at least
die with smiles on our faces.
Give me adress and ill send
well you and i have a few thing in common open-source - a good debate - and death by food
Address
address, which is dana@a-clue.com.
Drop me a line and I can get you the street
address.