The World Health Organization (WHO) released a new policy directive yesterday to protect children from the harmful effects of food marketing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Directive recommends that countries implement comprehensive mandatory policies to protect children of all ages from marketing foods and non-alcoholic beverages high in saturated fatty acids, fatty acids, free sugars and/or salt. More than 10 years after Member States endorsed the WHO recommendations on the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children, children continue to be exposed to powerful marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages rich in saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, free sugars and/or salt, the consumption of which is associated with adverse health effects, observes the UN agency in a press release. The updated recommendation is based on findings from reviews of recent evidence, including how exposure and the power of food marketing affect children’s health, eating behaviours, and eating attitudes and beliefs. In short, food marketing remains a threat to public health and continues to negatively affect children’s food choices, intended choices and food intake, according to the WHO. It also has a negative impact on the development of children’s food consumption standards. The recommendation is also based on a systematic review of evidence on policies to restrict food marketing, including contextual factors.
Restrict the power of persuasion
Policies to restrict food marketing are more effective if they are mandatory, protect children of all ages, use a government-led nutrition profile model to classify foods whose marketing is prohibited and are sufficiently comprehensive to minimize the risk of marketing migration to other age groups, other spaces within the same media or to other media, including digital spaces. Restricting the power of persuasion in food marketing involves limiting the use of cartoons or techniques that appeal to children, such as including toys with products, advertising with songs, and mentions of celebrities. Based on this evidence, the WHO now recommends mandatory marketing regulations for foods and non-alcoholic beverages rich in saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, free sugars and/or salt, after previously allowing more room for a range of policy approaches. Another change is the directive’s use of the Convention on the Rights of the Child’s definition of a child, to be unequivocal about the fact that policies must protect all children.
“Aggressive and pervasive marketing of foods and beverages high in fat, sugars and salt to children is responsible for unhealthy food choices,” says Dr. Francesco Branca. Director of the WHO Department of Nutrition and Food Security. Calls for responsible marketing practices have not had a significant impact. Governments should establish strong and comprehensive regulations.”
Local contexts
Policy decisions based on these guidelines must be adapted to the local contexts of WHO regions and Member States. Adoption of the recommendation and adaptation to national contexts require local consultations, with mechanisms in place to protect public health policy development from undue influence of real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest, says WHO. Policies to protect children from the harmful effects of food marketing are better implemented as part of a comprehensive policy approach to create supportive and supportive food environments, the UN agency adds.
