Scooby and SpongeBob Should be Promoting Healthy Foods

The Institute of Medicine has released a report calling for big changes in how food is advertised to children. The report wants cartoon characters like SpongeBob, Scooby Doo and Disney's princesses to stop being used to promote foods and beverages high in sugar and calories and start advertising healthy foods.

The IOM is targeting soft drinks, sugared cereals and junk foods cartoon characters are hawking and asking for an industry standard to be put in place. The proposed changes are hoped to curb children from being influenced by their favorite cartoon characters on product boxes that are high in calories and low in nutrients.