Kraft Foods, the largest U.S. foodmaker, said it will cut portion sizes, stop marketing in schools and reduce the fatty content of many of its foods to fight the growing global obesity crisis.

Betsy Holden, co-CEO of Kraft, said the company "is committed to product choices and marketing practices that will help encourage healthy lifestyles and make it easier to eat and live better."

Kraft, maker of Oreos, Velveeta cheese and Oscar Mayer meats, said it will set up a 10-member advisory council to help it make the following changes in the next two to three years:

• Cap the portion of single-serve packets designed to be eaten by one person, including cookies and crackers sold in school vending machines. The size would be primarily driven by the number of calories in the food.
• Establish guidelines for the nutritional characteristics of all Kraft products. The company will evaluate each product to see whether it should cut the amount of fat, sodium and/or calories it contains. Some products will not change.
• Eliminate in-school marketing, including contests, product promotions and product sampling.
• Set up criteria to determine the kinds of foods that should be sold in school vending machines.
• Encourage appropriate eating and active lifestyles for children in advertising and marketing campaigns.
• Develop guidelines for health claims that are made on foods, even in countries where no requirements for such claims exist.
• Put nutrition labels on all Kraft foods worldwide, even where it is not required.
• Lobby for legislation that helps schools and communities improve fitness and nutrition.

Other sources: Kraft