Inside the halls of Congress, a pantheon of popular cartoon characters that advertise sugar-laden snacks and cereals has been the topic of heated debate -- all centered around food promotion. Some nutritionists, consumer advocates and others claim those foods are exacerbating the problem of childhood obesity.
This topic has been hot in nutritional and scientific circles since researchers found that 16% of American children and adolescents are overweight -- a 45% increase since 1994.