15 July 2005
Junk food ads near schools a part of pro-obesity environment
The billboards promoting junk food that surround New Zealand schools are but one element of the unhealthy childhood
environment that is causing the obesity epidemic, Green Safe Food Spokesperson Sue Kedgley says.
A University of Otago study, to be published by the New Zealand Medical Journal, has found that outdoor advertising for
unhealthy food and drink is common around secondary schools. Anthony Maher, the report's author, has called for more
research into how this trend is contributing to the fact that one third of Kiwi kids are overweight. The Obesity Action
Coalition has called for such billboards to be regulated.
"I welcome Obesity Action's call, but billboards are just one aspect of the problem," Ms Kedgley says.
"We need to address the entire environment that children are growing up in. Television advertising is another principal
offender and I renew my call for a ban on the touting of junk food during kids' programming. Children are being targeted
with messages that encourage them to consume fatty, sugary food and drink and then we wonder why so many of them are
overweight.
"And it is not just signage that is near schools. There are also many fast food outlets that are located nearby
specifically to encourage young people to frequent them.
"Frankly the voluntary Food Industry Accord, signed by the industry and the Government last year, is not worth the paper
it is written on. At the time it was said there was no need for any regulation because the food industry was now going
to be part of the solution to childhood obesity.
"But I have been unable to detect any improvement whatsoever in the food being targeted at young people, or any
reduction in the marketing pressures by the industry to encourage young people to eat unhealthy food. It is time for the
Government to stop pussy-footing around and introduce regulatory controls to protect our children from the overwhelming
marketing pressures to eat unhealthy food," Ms Kedgley says.
ENDS