COMMENTARY | I remember the first time I witnessed the wonder of a king-size candy bar. At the time, I was no older than six years old, and the massive chunk of sugar and fat seemed absolutely colossal in my hand. I begged my father to buy me the candy, and ate the entire bar in one sitting. I still vividly recall the feeling of nausea and elation as I licked the chocolate off my fingertips. Now, the idea of eating a whole candy bar, much less a king-size bar, disgusts me.
Fortunately, the reign of the king-size bar may be coming to an end. According to a report by Reuters, Mars Inc. -- the makers of Snickers and Twix candy bars -- will soon be phasing out its famed king-size bars. As part of an effort toward more balanced snacking, the company intends to eliminate all candy products with portion sizes exceeding 250 calories by the end of 2013. That means that the king-size Snickers and Twix bars will go the way of the dinosaur, the dodo bird, and the tan M&Ms.
King-size candy bars are a symbol of childish overindulgence to many, including myself. I know very few adults who would touch one of these gargantuan sugary treats, but I have seen dozens of parents buy them for their children. The kids -- a generation plagued by the highest-ever rates of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes -- wolf down the bars readily and still beg for more. There is no question, in my mind, that king-size candy bars and other comically oversize junk food portions, are contributing to the demise of today's children.
This isn't Mars' first push to reduce its negative impact on the health of children (or consumers in general). Since 2007, the company has eliminated all advertisements on channels and magazines geared toward children. Mars will not run ads if more than 25 percent of the audience is likely to be under 12 years of age. In an era marked by record levels of childhood obesity and related health problems, it's high time that a company takes this degree of responsibility.
The battle isn't over yet, though. Junk food is, and always will be, junk food. Even as more companies stop targeting children, use real sugar instead of corn syrup, and favor palm oil instead of hydrogenated oil, there is no denying the fact that candy bars of any kind are detrimental to our health and the health of our children. To create a truly healthier world, we need to raise kids who respect their own bodies enough to practice careful moderation throughout every stage of life.
I'm not above letting my three-year-old daughter eat the fun-size chocolate bars in her Halloween bag, or nibble on a handful of organic M&M knock-offs, or sneak an Oreo from time to time. But I understand that -- king-size or not, "natural" or not -- candy is candy, and that careful, intentional moderation is essential for keeping my daughter healthy for life. While I applaud Mars' attempts to encourage responsibility and moderation, it takes good parenting and self-control to truly battle the epidemic of childhood obesity.
Juniper Russo is a freelance writer, health consultant and full-time mom living in Chattanooga, Tenn.
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