Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman is promising to help parents raise healthy children by going after marketers who target young children with junk food.

“Parents today are being forced to contend with a new threat—big food companies targeting junk food at children,” Lieberman said in a statement. “And that’s literally feeding an epidemic of obesity that our top public health experts contend is the biggest health threat out there today.”

Lieberman, a Democratic presidential contender, said that, as president, he would launch a federal investigation into the aggressive marketing to children of food that is high in fat and sugar and low in nutritional value.

His plan includes asking Congress to direct the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the marketing practices directed at reaching the “youngest kids” with junk food. It calls for requiring national food chains to post clear labels with nutritional content on menus and wrappers and to develop sensible standards for food sold in pubic schools. He singled out junk food sold in school vending machines where students are “captive” customers.

This issue has gotten enormous amounts of media attention as the problem of childhood obesity takes center stage and consumer packaged goods companies scramble to make changes to avoid backlash. This week, Peter Jennings, the anchor of ABC News’ World News Tonight, dedicated an entire hour to the problem of marketers targeting children with unhealthy foods. He singled out Kraft Foods, Inc. as the sole company making positive change.

Lieberman is no stranger to taking on big industry. He has been an outspoken critic and a powerful advocate for parents concerned about the amount of violent and sexually explicit messages children are exposed to on a daily basis through movies, music, television, video games and the Internet. He has challenged entertainment industry leaders to exercise greater restraint and responsibility in choosing which products to make and how to market them.

Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman is promising to help parents raise healthy children by going after marketers who target young children with junk food.

“Parents today are being forced to contend with a new threat—big food companies targeting junk food at children,” Lieberman said in a statement. “And that’s literally feeding an epidemic of obesity that our top public health experts contend is the biggest health threat out there today.”

Lieberman, a Democratic presidential contender, said that, as president, he would launch a federal investigation into the aggressive marketing to children of food that is high in fat and sugar and low in nutritional value.

His plan includes asking Congress to direct the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the marketing practices directed at reaching the “youngest kids” with junk food. It calls for requiring national food chains to post clear labels with nutritional content on menus and wrappers and to develop sensible standards for food sold in pubic schools. He singled out junk food sold in school vending machines where students are “captive” customers.

This issue has gotten enormous amounts of media attention as the problem of childhood obesity takes center stage and consumer packaged goods companies scramble to make changes to avoid backlash. This week, Peter Jennings, the anchor of ABC News’ World News Tonight, dedicated an entire hour to the problem of marketers targeting children with unhealthy foods. He singled out Kraft Foods, Inc. as the sole company making positive change.

Lieberman is no stranger to taking on big industry. He has been an outspoken critic and a powerful advocate for parents concerned about the amount of violent and sexually explicit messages children are exposed to on a daily basis through movies, music, television, video games and the Internet. He has challenged entertainment industry leaders to exercise greater restraint and responsibility in choosing which products to make and how to market them.