Public health leaders call for laws on child marketing
Junk food marketing restrictions are being urged after new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data showed more than one in four Australian children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 are living with overweight or obesity.
Cancer Council Australia and a coalition of public health leaders want the Australian Government to respond to a feasibility study on options to limit unhealthy food marketing aimed at children.
The push followed a Preventive Health Roundtable convened by Dr Sophie Scamps MP, after which the coalition released a joint statement calling for comprehensive new laws.
The proposed laws would cut children’s exposure to unhealthy food and drink marketing across online ads, social media, gaming platforms, sport sponsorships and retail settings.
The joint statement says children face unhealthy food and drink marketing in places where they live, learn, play and spend time.
Jacinta Reddan warning
Cancer Council Australia CEO Jacinta Reddan said the government should move quickly because advertising can normalise unhealthy foods and drinks and interfere with parents’ efforts to build healthy habits.
“The reality is children today are more likely to be living with obesity than previous generations, highlighting the need for the Australian government to respond to the feasibility study and move forward with measures to reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing,” Reddan said.
Reddan cited FIFA World Cup adverts as an example of companies targeting children through major sporting events.
Living with overweight or obesity increases the risk of 13 cancers, including bowel, kidney, liver, ovarian, stomach, thyroid and pancreatic cancers.
The full list also includes breast cancer after menopause, endometrial, oesophagus, gallbladder, multiple myeloma and advanced prostate cancer.
96% of adults in 2022 did not meet the recommended serves of fruit and vegetables.
The same 2022 figures show the average Australian consumed 67 grams of free sugar a day, or more than 1.3 times the recommended amount.
“Cancer Council Australia believes children should be able to grow up in an environment that supports healthy choices, not one that sells them on products that put their long-term health at risk,” Reddan said.
