Weight-Loss Products For Children Could Spur Creation Of Fatter Regs – FTC
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
A continuing rise in the number of weight-loss supplements marketed to children could lead to "additional regulation" of weight-loss products, according to Federal Trade Commission Division of Advertising Practices Senior Staff Attorney Richard Cleland
|
A continuing rise in the number of weight-loss supplements marketed to children could lead to "additional regulation" of weight-loss products, according to Federal Trade Commission Division of Advertising Practices Senior Staff Attorney Richard Cleland. Something "we're starting to see more of are weight-loss products aimed at children ages six to 18," Cleland stated at a Strategic Research Institute Weight Loss & Obesity conference in Washington, D.C. Dec. 9. "I'm just appalled at the idea of weight-loss products directed at six-year-olds," Cleland said, noting he could "see a scenario where a six-year-old chokes to death on a weight-loss product." He added that a tragic event likely "could change the regulatory" environment. "Kill one of these kids and you'll get Congress' attention," Cleland stated, adding "nobody wants to see that." One product that has been the subject of considerable controversy is Skinny Pill For Kids , marketed by Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.-based Skinny.com. The firm began taking advanced orders for the product via its Web site the week of Dec. 2. The company said it expects to start shipping the children's weight-loss supplement later this month. Skinny Pill For Kids is the latest product in the Skinny line, joining items such as Skinny Pill AM and Skinny Pill PM . Skinny.com said it also is developing a product formulated specifically for teenagers. Skinny Pill for Kids contains a proprietary fiber blend, as well as niacin, folate, vitamin B12, chromium, pectins, bioflavonoids, uva ursi, juniper berry, buchu leaf and glucommanan, the firm said. Indicated for use by children ages six to 12, the product comes in a 30-day supply that retails for $39.99. Children are advised to take two pills twice a day with 12 oz. of water. The product's launch caused the marketer of another pediatric weight-loss product, PediaLean , to issue a statement Dec. 7 saying it is "considering [its] legal options" against Skinny.com. Although Salt Lake City-based Basic Research was unable to specify what form its actions might take, the company expressed concerns that Skinny.com has not conducted adequate research to substantiate the safety and efficacy of its product when used by children. The firm's statement also notes the uva ursi and juniper berry found in Skinny Pill For Kids are diuretics that may be unsafe for children. While Miami, Fla.-based PAL Labs, which is manufacturing Skinny Pill For Kids, conceded that no safety studies have been done on the product, it said the amount of diuretic ingredients included in the supplement fall far below the levels where adverse events have been reported. Skinny.com spokesperson Edita Kayes added that Skinny Pill For Kids is meant to be used as part of a full dietary regimen that also includes a detailed food plan and the use of flash cards. According to Basic Research, the safety and efficacy of its PediaLean supplement has been substantiated by a single study published in the March-April 1992 issue of the Italian journal Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica. PediaLean, which launched in December 2001, is sold in roughly 8,000 to 12,000 North American health food stores, including GNC, Basic Research said. As with the Skinny Pill For Kids, PediaLean also is formulated with a proprietary fiber compound, called Pediatropin. A 30-day supply sells for $79. The two pediatric weight-loss products have entered the market during a period of heightened public concerns about obesity. The growing demand for weight-loss options has caused the Federal Trade Commission to increase its scrutiny of the weight-loss industry; the commission held a workshop in November to discuss the advertising of such products. The market for child-oriented supplements has received attention from the federal government as well. The National Institutes of Health held a conference entitled "Dietary Supplement Use in Children" in February 2001 at which Johanna Dwyer, Tufts University School of Medicine, highlighted supplement use by overweight children as an area especially deserving of clinical study (1 (Also see "Pediatric Dietary Supplement Trials Needed To Set Standards Of Care" - Pink Sheet, 19 Feb, 2001.), p.17). Discussing the recent introduction of the Skinny Pill For Kids, as well as PediaLean, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements Director Paul Coates, PhD, stressed the importance of conducting adequate safety tests on pediatric weight-loss products. |