Family entertainment giant Disney is pitting the might of Mickey Mouse and its other lovable characters against the scourge of junk food, according to a statement Tuesday, dpa reported. The move is a major boost for supporters of healthy diets for America's overweight children and will see the company license its characters' names only to foods that follow government guidelines for healthful diets. "This is very significant," said Margo G. Wootan, the nutrition policy director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "Disney characters will not show up on Pop-Tarts, waffles and fruit snacks. This will allow parents to feed their children more healthfully." The new policy will be phased in by 2009 and will see Disney refuse to tie its brand to oversize portions, foods that get more than 30 per cent of their calories from fat, more than 10 per cent from saturated fat or more than 10 per cent from added sugar. In its parks, Disney will replace French fries and soda with vegetables and fruit drinks and eliminate all trans fats.
