General Mills Cutting Back on Sugar in Children's Cereals

General Mills is finally taking a step in the right direction in becoming responsible for the nutritional value of their foods. During a time of increased scrutiny of food companies from consumers, regulators, and health groups alike, General Mills has decided to reduce the amount of sugar in its cereals marketed to children. For example, the sugar in Cocoa Puffs could be reduced by 18%. Other brands that could have a reduction in sugar include Lucky Charms and Trix.

Specifically, General Mills announced Wednesday that it will cut sugar in 10 of its most popular children’s cereals to single-digit grams per serving. While the company did not specify an exact date when the reduced-sugar cereals will reach store shelves, it did state that the updated products will make their debut in 2010.

If General Mill’s move seems sudden, the reason could be the mounting pressure on cereal companies to address childhood obesity and excess sugar. What makes sugary cereals even worse for children is the fact that children consuming overly sweet cereals tend to eat twice as much as children who eat lower-sugar cereals. Moreover, the least healthy cereals are marketed most frequently to children.