It's natural, I suppose, to hope that the food we eat is both delicious and provides some inherent health benefit. And to feed that desire, food companies very often claim that their product's health benefits are "clinically proven." What that should mean is that scientists in a research setting have done studies that support the claim. Even when that happens, results can be made to sound more favorable than the studies indicate.
On May 13, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a letter to General Mills accusing the cereal company of overstating the health benefits of its product Cheerios on its packaging and in its marketing. Although the FDA had approved claims that the whole grain oat fiber contained in Cheerios is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, the agency said the company can not make the more specific statement that consumers can "lower your cholesterol four percent in six weeks."
The company responded by saying its claims were well supported. While it is true that oat fiber in the diet does lower blood cholesterol levels, the company needs to provide scientific evidence concerning just how much Cheerios needs to be eaten to actually lower cholesterol by that percent.
FDA attention to food advertising claims
Let me give you a little background. The first food-specific health claim was approved by the FDA in January 1997 in response to a petition from the Quaker Oats Company. Their health claim was authorized based on studies showing that the consumption of whole oat products may reduce the risk of heart disease. The FDA said that products containing a certain minimum level of soluble fiber from oat bran per serving may carry a statement such as "Soluble fiber from foods such as oat bran, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."
Subsequently, the FDA approved health claims for reducing blood cholesterol with psyllium seed husk soluble fiber in February 1998, and with soy protein in October 1999. These approvals required credible scientific consensus for the claims. In July 1999 General Mills received approval for a claim linking whole grain foods to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, based on statements from the National Academy of Sciences.
Other food companies have been warned
The FDA has turned down petitions to approve claims for the health benefit of some other foods, and each year the agency sends dozens of warning letters about false claims. Most of these warnings, and even removal of products from the market, are related to dietary supplements, but some have concerned foods. And the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can also address misleading claims in advertisements.
This April, for example, Kellogg Company agreed to settle FTC charges of falsely advertising the benefits to children of eating Frosted Mini-Wheats. Their national TV ads asserted a nearly 20 percent improvement in attentiveness in children who ate the cereal, compared with those who skipped breakfast. But the ads referred to a study that found a benefit from eating their frosted cereal in only half the children studied, and only 11 percent of the children's attention improved 20 percent.
Coke, Nestle, and Beverage Partnership Worldwide recently settled a suit brought by 26 states and the District of Columbia for falsely advertising that the green tea beverage Enviga can produce weight loss by burning extra calories.
In December 2008 the FDA announced a permanent injunction against Wilderness Family Naturals, a company that makes foods like organic mayonnaise and a variety of dietary supplements. Their products have been promoted for benefits against diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis and AIDS.
Should you be concerned?
To put this in context, the overstated claims for Cheerios and Frosted Mini-Wheats are certainly misleading, but they're not dangerous. By contrast, many dietary supplements may be dangerous because they contain undisclosed pharmaceutical drugs or are tainted with heavy metals. In addition, people may use a product that claims cancer-fighting benefits, for example, forgoing for too long medically sound treatment.
It is also interesting to note that not only the FDA is calling out food companies. Some companies have sued competitors for advertisements that are said to falsely favor their products. In one recent case, a class action suit was filed against Dannon Company for claiming that some of its yogurts provide a health benefit not provided by other yogurts. And a leading infant formula company, PBM Products, which supplies store-brand infant formulas to some large retailers, has once again filed a court complaint against Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, the makers of the national brand Enfamil® Infant Formula, for a false and misleading advertising campaign.
I'm not going to tell you to eat or not eat Cheerios or any other food that claims to have a health benefit. But I don't encourage my patients to eat foods just because they make claims to health benefits. I suggest you maintain a healthy diet based on scientifically proven principles, like those provided by the U.S. Agriculture's Pyramid Food groups.