05/07/2023
Bar marketing of harmful foods for children:WHO
Countries must prohibit the targeting of young children in advertising products like chips and aerated drinks, according to new guidelines by the World Health Organization, which found that food marketing around the world negatively affects children's diets.
The global health body issued a new document on Monday, which called for mandatory policies to protect children of all ages from the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages that are high in saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, free sugars and salt-also known as HFSS foods. the department of nutrition and
fectionaries and deep-fried foodsWHO stressed that over a decade ago, in 2010, member states had endorsed its recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children but children continued to be exposed to powerful marketing of HFSS foods and non-alcoholic beverages.
These policies will be most. effective "if they are: are manda- tory; protect children of all ages; use a government-led nutrient profile model to classify foods to be restricted from marketing; and are sufficiently comprehensive to minimise the risk of migration of marketing to other age groups, other spaces within the same medium or to other media, including digital spaces," it said. "Aggressive and pervasive marketing of foods and beverages high in fats, sugars and salt to children is responsible for unhealthy dietary choices," said Dr Francesco Brancadirector of
safety of WHO. Experts in India agreed that strict guidelines were necessary. "Food Marketing is quite intense and repetitive and espe- cially impacts children's psyche and results in children develop- ing more attraction to such HFSS foods and non-alcoholic beverages. The result is that they do not develop good nutritious dietary habits...," said Dr Manish Aggar- wal, head of interventional cardiology at PSRI Hospital
"The updated recommenda tion is based on the findings of reviews of recent evidence, including how exposure to and the power of food marketing affects children's health, eating behaviours, and food-related attitudes and beliefs. In short, food marketing remains a threat to public health and continues to negatively affect children's food choices, intended choices and their dietary intakeIt also negatively influences the development of children's norms about food consumption," a WHO statement read. HFSS products include chips, cookies, chocolates,
Dr Meena J, senior consultant (paediatrics and neonatology)Aakash Healthcare, said: "More robust policies including the restrictions on the types of foods advertised during children's programming, implementing clear and prominent warning labels on products high in sugar, salt, and fat, and promoting the marketing of nutritious foods instead, are needed."
Courtesy
Letters@hindustan times
