Choosing the milk is only a small part of the breakfast cereal dance. What about choosing the cereal? In a new report from Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, researchers found that cereals marketed to kids have more sugar, 85% more sugar, less fiber, 65% less fiber, and 60% more sodium than those considered for adult consumption.

What does “marketing to kids” mean? Who is paying the bills? Have we become illogical in our shopping habits? The report specifically points out licensed characters help sell a product or at least elicit a shout out such as, ” I want Dora cereal.” Besides selling significant quantities of a product, isn’t it time we got the cereal manufacturers to focus on the effect of their approach? How can we ever derail the obesity bandwagon if we don’t rally around the devastating weight statistics?

As long as we are focused on healthy choices, we need to support this study with some serious aisle finger-pointing. The researchers discovered that General Mills markets to children more than any other company, and that six of the 10 least healthy cereals advertised to children are made by the company. Look at the cereal facts home page to understand the FACTS, the Food Advertising to Children and Teens Score, developed by health researchers at Yale University. Kellogg Mini-Wheats, on the other hand, received the best nutrition rating, the top FACT score.

Attendees at The Obesity Society’s annual meeting will have plenty of data to crunch.

Let’s encourage the FTC to begin its truth-in-advertising hearings on this important health topic.