Is banning junk food advertising the answer to childhood obesity?
August 21, 2023
Childhood obesity an epidemic
In June of this year, Independent Member of Parliament and former General Practitioner, Sophie Scamps, initiated a legislative proposal in the federal parliament that aims to curb junk food advertising explicitly directed at children. The proposed law would target advertisements of food and beverage products that have been identified as detrimental to health by Australia’s health ministers, encompassing sugar-laden drinks, confectioneries, and unhealthy fast-food options. The proposal stipulates a ban on advertisements for these products across television, radio, and streaming services from 6am to 9:30pm, along with a total prohibition online and across social media platforms. The introduction of this bill underscores one of our society’s most pressing health challenges, and takes an assertive stance towards mitigating it.
The proportion of Australian adults categorised as overweight or obese has tripled since 1980. Presently, approximately a quarter of Australia’s child population are overweight or obese, posing a challenging environment for families battling the omnipresence of digital media. The implications are grave, with the economic burden of obesity amounting to over $2 billion each year. Moreover, the detrimental impact on quality of life, with years of potential healthy living lost to disease, disability, or premature death, cannot be overstated.
This is not the first instance where a prohibition on junk food advertising has been considered. Yet, the urgency to implement such a regulation has never been more critical. Unhealthy diets are the primary contributors to Australia’s burgeoning obesity epidemic, and curtailing advertising for these foods could significantly enhance dietary habits. This is a viewpoint that health experts have advocated for over the years. As early as 2009, the Australian National Preventive Health Agency recommended such restrictions, which have also been long endorsed by the World Health Organization. A wealth of evidence supports the notion that advertising substantially shapes children’s dietary preferences and induces cravings and hunger.
Even in the absence of this compelling body of evidence, it is self-evident that junk food advertising is effective. Corporations invest substantially in these marketing efforts; indeed, one study indicated that the expenditure on Australian advertising for sugary beverages alone is nearly fivefold higher than government-led campaigns promoting healthy nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention. Moreover, these advertisements are specifically engineered to appeal to children, employing promotional characters, gifts, games, and adapting to the shift towards digital media.
It comes as no surprise then that parents are keenly aware of the persuasive power of advertising, as evidenced by younger children exerting “pester power” and older children allocating their spending money on unhealthy foods. This could be a contributing factor to why two-thirds of Australians support the banning of junk food advertising during children’s viewing times.
Over 10 years in the making, restrictions soar on junk food advertising
The question that then arises is: why has the government not taken action? When health bodies first started advocating for advertising restrictions almost a decade and a half ago, the industry swiftly formulated a self-regulatory plan. Voluntary codes of conduct for “responsible advertising and marketing to children” were devised. However, these codes are plagued by significant loopholes and gaps, being voluntary, narrow, vague, and lacking in enforceable consequences. As might be expected, this self-regulation has failed to bring about a reduction in junk food advertising to children. While countries with obligatory policies have witnessed a decline in junk food consumption, those with industry-led regulations have seen an uptick.
In the interim, Australia and its children are falling behind. Since Quebec in Canada pioneered the first ban in 1980, over a dozen countries worldwide have followed suit, with more poised to join. The proposals currently under discussion in our parliament echo the policies adopted by the United Kingdom in 2021.
However, when it comes to establishing judicious food policies, Australia has been consistently lagging. We are not among the 43 countries implementing regulations to reduce trans-fats, which are associated with cardiovascular disease, nor are we one of the 85 countries that have introduced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, linked to diabetes. Even our policies to lower salt consumption and enhance food labelling are weaker than those of leading countries.
Education is key
While it is clear that unhealthy diets need to be overhauled, placing the onus solely on the individual is a misguided approach. Unhealthy food choices are driven by a range of factors including time constraints, economic pressures, accessibility of fresh food, and the incessant barrage of marketing that adults and children alike are exposed to. Hence, it is incumbent upon governments to make healthy choices more affordable, convenient, and appealing, in order to compete with the unhealthy options. Implementing a ban on advertising targeted at children is a vital first step in this direction.
ABS (2023) Overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents, summary, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/overweight-obesity/overweight-obesity-australian-children-adolescents/summary
Attwooll, J. (2023) ‘we need to act’: Junk food advertising bill tabled, NewsGP. Available at: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/we-need-to-act-junk-food-advertising-bill-tabled
