23 July 2007

New figures highlight disturbing trends in junk food advertising

NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher today called on the Australian Government to justify its position on junk food advertising after new research revealed the average Sydney child is exposed to more than 10 advertisements per hour for high fat or high sugar foods during peak periods.

Commissioned by NSW Health and conducted by the NSW Centre for Overweight and Obesity the Food Advertising on Sydney Commercial Television: Extent and Nature of Children's Exposure 2006-2007 research analysed children's exposure to television food advertising on Sydney Commercial Television in May 2007. The findings are presented in comparison to findings from an identical study conducted in May 2006.

Results show that:

• the proportion of high fat and high sugar food advertising during the most popular programs for children 5 to 12 years increased from 66 per cent to 72 per cent from 2006 to 2007
• in 2007 there were 10.6 advertisements for high fat and high sugar foods per hour during programs most viewed by 5 to 12 year olds compared to nine per hour in 2006
• a slight decrease in advertising for food overall from 26.2 per cent in 2006 to 24.9 per cent in 2007
• a slight decrease in junk food advertising overall from 43 per cent in 2006 to 38.3 per cent in 2007
• fast food restaurants were the most frequently advertised food group during popular programs with both younger and older children.

Ms Meagher has put the item on the agenda at this week's Australian Health Ministers' Conference in Sydney.

"The States and Territories recognise that childhood obesity is both a serious and complex issue," Ms Meagher said.

"We have clear evidence of the scale of this problem - we know that one in four children aged 5-16 years is overweight or obese.

"That is why States and Territories have formed a working group to examine the issue of junk food advertising to children - a group the Commonwealth Government has refused to join or support.

"We are calling on the Commonwealth to consider a limit on the advertising of junk food to kids.

"In the past, Tony Abbott has been instructed by his political master John Howard that junk food advertising is not an issue for health ministers.

"Well the parents of Australia disagree. Ten thousand people in NSW alone have signed up to the Cancer Council's 'Pull the Plug on Food Advertising' campaign.

"A recent survey by the Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (CFAC) found that almost 90 percent of parents support a ban on junk food advertising at times when kids watch TV.

"The NSW Government is committed to doing all we can to support parents to bring their kids up happy and healthy, with or without the Commonwealth's help."

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au