Children ‘targeted’ by junk food ads

PARENTS need to “open their eyes” to how their young children are being targeted by junk food advertisers throughout the day, according to an international food policy expert.

Sue Davis, the chief policy adviser with consumer watchdog Which!, said increasingly sophisticated methods are being employed by marketing companies to increase sales of foods high in sugar, fat and salt.

!Free games and downloads on children’s websites are being sponsored by food companies while social networking sites like Bebo and Facebook are now also routinely targeted.

Speaking at an Irish Heart Foundation event in Dublin, Ms Davies warned that much of this marketing and advertising is “subtle” and that parents are entirely unaware of the barrage of messages their children are subjected to.

The consequences of such “pester power” can be seen in the startling statistic that one fifth of Irish children are either overweight or obese, Ms Davies said.

“We have to make sure we have consistency across the board and use the power of marketing to encourage children to eat healthily rather than undermine parents’ efforts,” she said.

“What appears to be harmless and fun entertainment, such as a storytelling website, can, in fact, be another way to increase a child’s brand loyalty and ultimately increases pester power for less nutritional food products. It is appalling that all this creativity is being used for such unhealthy products,” she said.

Meanwhile the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is revising the Children’s Commercial Code with particular emphasis on the issue of food marketing of unhealthy foods. The Irish Heart Foundation has long called for a ban on TV advertising of such products before the 9pm watershed.

The charity stressed that young children are especially susceptible to food marketing and brands of unhealthy foods and parents must “exercise control over what their child is eating and also put pressure on food companies to discontinue these methods”.

Irish Heart Foundation chief executive Michael O’Shea urged parents to become “watchdogs” themselves. “Many parents may not realise that their children are being targeted everyday through vending machines in schools, free toy promotions with meals and so on,” he said.

“As the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke, our concern is the serious impact on public health. An obese or overweight child is more likely to be an obese adult which will lead to increased risk of heart attack and stroke as well as diabetes,” he said.