Bellarine Community Health joins “Brands off our kids!” campaign

BELLARINE Community Health (BCH) has joined a campaign urging all governments to set higher standards on unhealthy food marketing in Australia.

The primary health services provider has signed a new petition demanding the processed food industry put the health of children first and is encouraging other communities to sign up as well.

The Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) has recently released “Brands off our kids!”, a report highlighting the tactics used by the processed food industry to target children with unhealthy food marketing.

The report sets out four actions to protect all Australian children from such marketing:

• Ensure TV, radio and cinemas are free from unhealthy food marketing from 6am-9.30pm
• Prevent unhealthy food companies from targeting children
• Ensure public spaces and events are free from unhealthy food marketing, and
• Protect children from digital marketing of unhealthy food.

BCH chief executive officer Gary Ellis said he believed all children and families should be able to grow up in a society that promotes their health and wellbeing.

“At Bellarine Community Health, we believe it is important for the places in our community to be good for the health of our residents, especially our little ones,” he said.

BCH child health and development dietitian Sally Hanks said two-thirds of adults and almost a quarter of children in Australia were above a healthy weight.

She called on governments to do more to prioritise children’s health.

“The processed food industry makes massive profits from targeting children – and while they are benefiting from these tactics, we see the negative impact this has on the health of children every day,” she said.

Drysdale resident and parent Paola said the ways children were being exposed to unhealthy food marketing in daily life was worrying.

“My daughter is not yet two and we see junk food marketing being pushed on her everywhere we go! I think as parents, we all want our children to have a healthy future and life … this is why I think it is important for parents to read the report and sign this petition.”

The report reveals the processed food industry is airing three unhealthy food ads every hour during children’s peak TV viewing times, making apps designed specifically to promote unhealthy brands to young children, and saturating digital media with unhealthy food exposing children to almost 100 online promotions for unhealthy food every week.

The OPC is urging governments across Australia to adopt regulation to effectively protect children from unhealthy food marketing, including in all forms of media and in the online environment.

Mr Ellis is encouraging local residents and organisations to sign the petition and take action alongside BCH in support of this change.

For more information on the BCH’s efforts, head to their website.