Reducing the amount of junk food advertising that children are exposed to should be the government’s top priority according to England’s first-ever Food Environment Policy Index.
Published today (16 November), the index was compiled during a year-long process of evaluation and consultation with 73 experts from 41 organisations.
The group has called for the banning of TV advertising of unhealthy food and drink up to the 9pm watershed; all forms of non-broadcast advertising of these food and drinks to children; and stopping fast food and fizzy drink sponsorship of sports events, such as the Olympics.
It follows the latest national data on childhood obesity rates, which show obesity rates among five years olds and 11 year olds are still rising.
Meanwhile, in 2015 less than two per cent of food advertising spend went on fruit and vegetables compared to 20 per cent on confectionery and snacks, according to Nielsen AdDynamix data.
Modi Mwatsama from the UK Health Forum said setting targets for fewer promotions on junk foods and more on health promoting foods such as vegetables and pulses would provide a “quick win for tackling the nation’s high levels of obesity”.
The World Obesity Federation's Dr Tim Lobsteinsaid the new research calls for measures that “will be resisted by food companies and advertisers”. “We know they will use any means to weaken and undermine such measures. We need stronger regulation to prevent secret lobbying, private political funding and pro-business bias at the heart of government,” he said.
It comes as the government’s Childhood Obesity Plan published in August this year took no action on advertising. The plan did announce a levy on soft drinks and reformulation programme for processed food, which rank as second and third priorities on the index. But the group said without action on advertising, the impact of these two actions will be reduced.
Meanwhile, executive director of the Food Foundation, Anna Taylor, said: “Parents are fighting a losing battle if their children are being constantly bombarded with advertising which idealises fast food. Other countries have managed to control this. Why can’t we?”
Food Ethics Council director, Dan Crossley, said: “Tackling obesity requires us all to take action on lots of fronts. However, we won’t make progress while we’re bombarded with advertising messages for unhealthy food and drink in so many places, so many times every day. That’s why the government needs to step up and regulate the type and quantity of advertising allowed, particularly in relation to children.”
Obesity Health Alliance said: “Failing to tackle junk food advertising is a failure to acknowledge the very real effect the environment has on our children’s habits and ultimately obesity rates.”
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