Obesity and advertising report author stands by findings
FRIDAY , 07 JULY 2006
The authors of a report that says food advertisements during children's television programmes directly contribute to childhood obesity are standing by their findings, despite criticism from the Food Industry Group (FIG).
The report, released on Wednesday and commissioned by Agencies for Nutrition Action, found children watching the most television had double the risk of developing obesity compared with children in the lowest watching category.
Report co-author, Rob Quigley, a registered dietician, said the exposure to high levels of television advertising of high fat, high sugar or energy-dense foods and drinks contributed to children picking up bad eating habits.
He said nearly one in three children were already overweight or obese.
Following the release of the report, the Public Health Association (PHA) advocated a ban on junk food advertising during children's television programmes.
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) supported the PHA's position on the ban.
However, Mr Quigley said his was not the only study to show the link between advertisements and children's weight.
"The World Health Organisation says that the heavy marketing of energy-dense foods and fast-food outlets is a probable cause of obesity.
"This is backed up by a comprehensive review of evidence, prepared for the British Food Standards Agency (BFSA), which concluded that food advertising can influence the food children like, buy and eat.
"Surely the Food Industry Group is not asking us to believe that advertising, which increases the consumption of virtually every other product, somehow doesn't work for fast food?"
Mr Quigley says New Zealand is one of few developed countries that does not protect its children from excessive food marketing.
NZMA deputy chairman Don Simmers said research showed young children were often not able to tell the difference between advertising and education information, therefore it was best to get the junk food ads off television when children were watching.
But FIG executive director Rob Bree said conclusions in the report did not match results of the survey it was based on.
Mr Bree said all groups involved in the obesity issue had a responsibility to be professional and responsible in their quest to find a solution to the disturbing rise in levels of obesity.
"The only real conclusion is that the sedentary activity of television watching is a possible substitute for physical activity and is accompanied by eating snacks – which is something most people would know from personal experience," Mr Bree said.
Mr Bree said the survey only showed that the more television watching a child did, the more likely they were to snack.
There was no link whatsoever between what children were watching on television – the programmes or advertisements – and the food they are eating, he said.
"The vast majority of children are not obese despite supervised exposure to advertising and supervised enjoyment of treat foods," Mr Bree said
Article