Food industry engaged in obesity battle, claims FAU
government to intervene in the current marketing of foods high in
salt, sugar and fat to children.
FAU director Jeremy Preston said that appropriate action was already being taken by the industry, and that advertising was not the root cause of the current obesity crisis.
"According to Ofcoms 2004 analysis an average child only sees five ads every day for any food product out of a possible twenty-eight ads for any product, and only two of these are viewed in childrens airtime," he said.
It is therefore important that all responses or code changes reflect this proportionately."
Preston was reacting to recent comments made by chairman of the International Obesity Task Force (IOFT) professor Philip James, who has consistently urged tougher regulations.
"The views of food advertisers and broadcasters are no different from those of Professor James in their wish to tackle successfully the issue of obesity amongst children and adults," claimed Preston.
"Industry is fully engaged in the current reviews to restrict the advertising codes, which are being conducted by Ofcom and the department of health-led Food and Drink Advertising and Promotion Forum."
But campaigners such as James argue that the food industry is not fully engaged. With nearly one third of two to 15 year-olds in England now classed as overweight or obese and an IOFT estimate that the number of overweight European kids is rising by 400,000 a year, the issue is clearly not being tackled effectively.
He argues that just a small proportion of marketing budgets go on TV advertising, with firms resorting to more sophisticated techniques such as mobile phone messages and placing products in stores where children are likely to see them, such as at check-outs.
His opinions, which where aired this week at the Hormones, Nutrition and Physical Performance Conference in Turin, are also backed up by a recent study that claimed snack food firms were targeting children with underhand campaigns that parents are often.
The study by UK consumer watchdog Which? revealed marketing devices used to persuade children to demand high-fat high-sugar junk foods are undermining their parents' efforts to curb fat, sugar and salt consumption. From branded playgrounds to celebrity endorsements, it argued that food manufacturers are taking advantage of the government's discretionary marketing code of conduct, ahead of possible legislation that may be introduced in 2007.
But Preston insists that many food companies have initiated a number of voluntary initiatives and healthy living campaigns independent of the UK governments White Paper on Choosing Health. He argued that corporate communications strategies are constantly changing to reflect consumer concerns, with some companies placing healthy lifestyle messages in the place of the product itself.
"The best way to tackle effectively the upward trends in childhood obesity is through a long-term behavioural change campaign that informs and encourages children and parents to lead active and healthy lifestyles," he said.
The Food Advertising Unit is a centre for information, communication and research in the area of food advertising, particularly television advertising to children. The FAU represents media, manufacturers and agencies with an interest in food advertising.
