Celebrities asked not to promote junk foods

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 11 Mar 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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In the UK, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is going to urge celebrities to promote healthy eating and to shun junk food products and their advertising. The FSA says that these celebrities have considerable influence over young people (and the not so young).

Sir John Krebs, FSA Chairman, said the obesity problem of children in the UK is a ticking time bomb. The FSA would like to see a different role of TV advertising to kids.

Sir John said 'We are all responsible for taking practical action that will improve our children's diet and health. While parents and children have personal responsibility and make their own choices, our aim is to help them help themselves. The ticking time bomb that is childhood obesity is something that none of us can afford to ignore: schools, the government, regulators or the food and advertising industries.'

McDonald's in the UK is responding to mounting pressure by reducing salt content in its french fries and introducing salads.

The FSA is going to meet next Thursday to discuss ways in which food is promoted to children. It would like manufacturers to place acceptable levels of salt, sugar and fat in their food products - most products in the UK have excessive levels of either/all fats, sugar and salt.

The FSA would like school vending machines to offer healthier choices. It says that food products should have clearer labelling with clear nutritional information.

Kids in the UK watch about 217 adverts per week. Of those 41% are food adverts. Of those 70% are for sweets (candy in the USA), fast foods, cereals with extra sugar, snacks and fizzy drinks.

The FSA says that altering the balancing of type of adverts during kid's TV programmes would probably have some beneficial effect.

The FSA would like to see a new 'signpost' logo on food packaging. This would help people decide how healthy something is.

The food industry has called these proposals patronising.

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