The food industry linked to childhood obesity

L’UFC-Que choose has just published a study on the impact of food advertising aimed at children and presents an alarming report. In 2009, the food industry had yet signed a Charter which committed it to review its marketing to children policy, but the association is too fat and too sweet products have not disappeared from our screens, quite the contrary !

And after the UFC-Que Choisir, which had been a first study in 2006, le matraquage des publicités mettant en avant des produits trop gras et trop sucrés est encore trop présent et affirme qu’elles “constituent encore l’essentiel (80%) des publicités alimentaires diffusées durant les programmes pour enfants” même si c’est un peu mieux qu’avant. On the other hand these ads are more focused on the rest of the day : “93% de ces publicités figurent désormais durant les écrans tout publics” qui sont regardés par encore plus d’enfants au total !

The association notes that food is increasingly unbalanced in children. Fatty and sugary products have increased by 17% at breakfast and 25% snack with 2006. L’association rajoute que “76% des aliments amenés à l’école […] are too rich in sugar or fat !”. These are not surprisingly the same confectionery, pastries, cakes that are seen in advertisements.

The result is alarming ! The goal was, already a few years ago, to reduce and prevent the excesses it is the reverse. Indeed the diabetes and obesity continue to rise in France (18% children are overweight or obese).

The UFC-Que Choisir asked the Minister of health to adopt a new draft law to rectify (by regulating food advertising to children, by better informing parents and by broadcasting spots on nutritional balance). The association accuses manufacturers not met their commitments and not have made efforts to change their offer to assist in the fight against childhood obesity.

Source : UFC-Que choose