From the McSpotlight mailing:
Press release from The Food Commission
Tuesday 29th July 2003

Health groups warn:
World's children at risk from junk food marketing

The health of the children around the world is put at risk by the
marketing of junk food, says a <a
href="http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/Broadcasting_bad_health.pdf">report</a>[786KB PD] from the Food Commission issued today.

The report, Broadcasting Bad Health: Why food marketing to children
needs to be controlled, shows that:

* The food-industry's global advertising budget is $40bn, a figure
greater than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 70% of the
world's nations.1
* For every $1 spent by the World Health Organization on preventing
the diseases caused by western diets, more than $500 is spent by
the food industry promoting these diets. 1
* In industrialised countries, food advertising accounts for around
half of all advertising broadcast during children's TV viewing
times. Three-quarters of such food adverts promote high-calorie,
low-nutrient foods. 2
* For countries with transitional economies (such as in Eastern
Europe), typically 60% of Foreign Direct Investment in food
production is for sugar, confectionery and soft drinks. For every
$100 spent invested in fruit and vegetable production, over $1,000
is being invested in soft drinks and confectionery. 3
* Over half the world's population lives in less-industrialised
countries such as Russia, China and India and they are now
suffering a rising tide of diet-related diseases as food companies
export their products and their advertising practices. 4

This report comes at a time when international investment bank UBS
Warburg (November 2002) and the international share analyst JP Morgan
(April 2003) have warned some of the top-spending food advertisers
(including Hershey, McDonald's, Tate & Lyle, Cadbury's, Pepsi,
Coca-Cola, Heinz and Nestlé) that they may be contributing to an
obesity-promoting environment. The companies were told that their share
prices may be at risk because their profits rely on selling fatty and
sugary foods, which are likely to be the subject of future regulation.

The report coincides with a major consultation by the World Health
Organization (WHO) to address a rising tide of diet-related disease
around the world. The WHO has identified as 'probable' or 'convincing'
the scientific evidence that these diseases - including heart disease,
diabetes, hypertension, obesity and several common types of cancers -
are linked to eating high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and
sugar-sweetened drinks, backed by a cultural environment in which
processed foods and fast-food outlets are heavily marketed. 5

"Junk foods and sugary drinks are supported by enormous advertising
budgets that dwarf any attempt to educate children about healthy diets,"
said research officer Kath Dalmeny, co-author of the Food Commission
report. "Junk food advertisers know that children are especially
susceptible to marketing messages. They target children as young as two
years old with free toys, cartoon characters, gimmicky packaging and
interactive websites to ensure that children pester their parents for
the products."

Companies such as KFC, Burger King, McDonald's, Kinder, Mars, Cadbury's,
Nestlé, Coca-Cola and Pepsi are criticised in the Food Commission report
for targeting children. The report calls for international controls on
the marketing of high-calorie, low-nutrient food to children.

Tuesday 29th July 2003

The 30-page report Broadcasting Bad Health: Why food marketing to
children needs to be controlled has been prepared by the Food Commission
on behalf of the International Association of Consumer Food
Organizations (IACFO). IACFO was founded in 1997 as an alliance of
non-governmental organizations that represent consumer interests in the
areas of food safety, nutrition and related matters. The founding
members are: The Food Commission (UK), the Center for Science in the
Public Interest (USA), the Centre for Science in the Public Interest
(Canada) and the Japan Offspring Fund.

The report Broadcasting Bad Health has been submitted to the World
Health Organization consultation on a global strategy for diet and
health. The consultation will lead to WHO proposals by spring 2004.

To download the full report in PDF format (800 KB) please visit The Food
Commission website at www.foodcomm.org.uk <http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/>
Printed copies (not colour) can be obtained from the Food Commission at
94 White Lion Street, London N1 9PF, UK for £10.00 (postage and packing
is free, all payment in pounds sterling).

References

1. Lang,T &Millstone, E (eds) (2002) The Atlas of Food, Earthscan Books,
www.earthscan.co.uk <http://www.earthscan.co.uk/>. GDP analysis based on
GDP figures for 2002 from the World Bank Statistical Indicator (2003)
2. Survey data from: A Spoonful of Sugar: Television food advertising
aimed at children, an international comparative survey. Consumers
International Programme for Developed Economies, 1996
3. OECD (1998) Foreign Direct Investment in agri-food production,
Eastern Europe ($4.04 billion), 1990-1997
4. WHO press release (April 2003) Launch of the WHO/FAO joint
consultation report on diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic
diseases.
5. WHO Technical report series 916 (2003) Diet, Nutrition and the
Prevention of Chronic Diseases
_______________________________

Press Office
The Food Commission (UK) Ltd
94 White Lion Street
London N1 9PF

Tel: 020 7837 2250
Fax: 020 7837 1141
Email: press@foodcomm.org.uk <mailto:press@foodcomm.org.uk>
Web: www.foodcomm.org.uk <http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/>


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25% of children in Adelaide (capital of South Australia) suffer from obesidty. I mean you should see all the fat little children outside.

Even in schools... They don't really promote a healthy diet... My cafeteria sells burritos, nachos, fried chicken patty sandwiches, fries, burgers, pizza, cookies, and soda is a MAJOR thing. A typical lunch of my friends consists of reeses pb cups, a roast beef sandwich, and a soda.

Of course healthier things are offered.. but in limited quantity, because not many students eat it. Also, if they didn't offer the junk, no one would buy from them. This probably does start with the advertising dollars spent by "empty calorie food" companies. I think, as a culture we're extremely conditioned to wanting only these foods. So many people don't care about what's nutritionally sound anymore.

I wonder how this could ever be reversed...

My school offers only unhealthy foods :( but I don't eat at school. With this thread it says World's children at risk from.... and then undernneath that it says the last person to post so its like World's children at risk from michael_veggie :P

My school offers only unhealthy foods :( but I don't eat at school. With this thread it says World's children at risk from....
I don't eat at school either.. I always bring my own lovely lunch. :)


and then undernneath that it says the last person to post so its like World's children at risk from michael_veggie :P

lol! It's all your fault. ; ) :p

I find it sad that companies seek to earn profit from unhealthy foods, when it would be much better to promote healthier snacks such as fruits.

For every $1 spent by the World Health Organization on preventing the diseases caused by western diets, more than $500 is spent by the food industry promoting these diets.

This could insinuate that we need to spend more money on advertising against Western diets, but quite frankly, there is only so much commercial time available, only so many buses and trains to plaster, and only so many walls to paint. What would be better is to set limitations on advertisements. We should set limits on where companies can advertise (schools, for example), limit how much companies can advertise (a minute per television or radio hour for example), and limit how much can be spent by a company on advertisements (a percent of sales, for example).

i bleave it. out of the 5 friends ive had in the last four year four where overwaight. im going to get a peach i kow whats in that.

Even in schools... They don't really promote a healthy diet... My cafeteria sells burritos, nachos, fried chicken patty sandwiches, fries, burgers, pizza, cookies, and soda is a MAJOR thing. A typical lunch of my friends consists of reeses pb cups, a roast beef sandwich, and a soda.

Of course healthier things are offered.. but in limited quantity, because not many students eat it. Also, if they didn't offer the junk, no one would buy from them. This probably does start with the advertising dollars spent by "empty calorie food" companies. I think, as a culture we're extremely conditioned to wanting only these foods. So many people don't care about what's nutritionally sound anymore.

I wonder how this could ever be reversed...

I know, it's gross and a serious problem if you ask me.