The Obesity Policy Coalition (the OPC) report, Brands off our kids! Four actions for a childhood free from unhealthy food marketing, is calling on governments to prioritise the health of Australian kids ahead of the processed food industry's profits.
The OPC, the objectives of which are "to identify, analyse and advocate for evidence-based policy and regulatory initiatives to reduce overweight and obesity, particularly in children, at a local, state and national level", is asking the government to undertake four key actions:
Ensure TV, radio and cinemas are free from unhealthy food marketing from 6am to 9:30pm
Prevent unhealthy food companies from targeting children
Ensure public spaces and events are free from unhealthy food marketing
Protect children from digital marketing of unhealthy food
The campaign around the report, which released today, highlights the fact that as the processed food industry targets children with saturated marketing for unhealthy food in every aspect of kids' lives, they are normalising the consumption of food that is placing the health of Australia's children in jeopardy.
This includes their oral health, which Australia's Oral Health Tracker shows is in trouble, with tooth decay the most chronic disease in childhood.
The OPC's Brands off our kids! report urges all Australian governments to play a role in creating a world that supports the health and wellbeing of childrenand allows them to play, learn and live free from the pressures of unhealthy food advertising.
For more on the report, go to Brands off Our Kids!
