Jamie Oliver joins Australian campaign to ban junk food advertising to kids

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has joined a chorus of Aussie health experts attempting to shut down the “onslaught” of junk food marketing targeting kids “everywhere they go”.

Food campaigner and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has joined a chorus of Australian public health experts and groups calling on the federal government to ban advertising of junk food to kids.

Oliver is lending his voice to the Australian push following the successful launch of his similar ‘AdEnough’ campaign in the UK.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is lending his voice to a push by Australian health experts to ban junk food advertising to kids. Image: AAP

On Thursday an open letter signed by more than 40 individuals and groups will be delivered to federal health minister Mark Butler “pleading” with him to step in and end the processed food industry’s self-regulation.

It comes as research shows Australian teenagers are exposed to around 100 unhealthy food and drink promotions every week online and children as young as five see around 827 on TV each year.

Food for Health Alliance, a partnership between Cancer Council Victoria, VicHealth and the Global Centre for Preventative Health and Nutrition at Deakin University, is leading the push through a campaign called Brands off our kids!

Executive manager Jane Martin said the processed food industry had license to infiltrate every aspect of children’s lives with junk food advertising, “surrounding them like wallpaper”.

“We’ve got around nine in 10 children not eating enough fruit and vegetables in Australia,” Ms Martin said.

Experts say only one in ten Australian kids are eating enough fruit and veggies. Picture: Josie Hayden

“Our call to action is to see regulation put in place that’s going to protect children from this marketing onslaught.

“What we’ve got right now are industry-led codes and they don’t work. It’s important that the government steps in to protect children from these commercial activities, which are harmful to their health.”

The open letter, which is also signed by the CEO of Cancer Council Victoria Todd Harper, along with leading health groups including the Heart Foundation, the Australian Medical Association and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, suggests this can be done through regulations to: make online environments free from unhealthy food marketing;

ensure TV, radio and similar media are free from this type of marketing when children are watching and listening; ban this type of marketing in public spaces, public events and retail environments;

STOP companies marketing unhealthy food directly to children with tactics like cartoons on product packaging, toys and prizes.

A collection of leading health organisations have signed an open letter to the government to push for a ban on junk food advertising to kids. Picture: Supplied

The signatories say they want children to grow up in a community that promotes wellbeing, supports good nutrition and sets them up for a healthy future.

“But instead, the processed food industry is allowed to bombard Aussie kids with unhealthy food marketing everywhere they go,” the letter says.

“Kids see these ads in their social media feeds, while they play games online and use apps – all while their data is collected for targeted marketing.”

Ms Martin said unhealthy food companies were using sophisticated data and technology to place ads in front of children when they are online, using social media or watching television.

Health leaders say children are being “bombared” by unhealthy food marketing “everywhere they go”. Picture: Supplied

“Every ad for burgers, sugary drinks or a fast-food meal deal undermines what kids know about a nutritious diet, and powerfully shapes their preferences,” she said.

“By eating more unhealthy foods, children are more likely to be above a healthy weight. If this tracks into adulthood, they face an increasing risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and 13 types of cancer later in life.”

She said the government had the issue on its radar, and had led a consultation on policy options to limit unhealthy food marketing to children.

Ms Martin said Australia could follow a similar path as the UK and remove all advertising from online environments, saying it is difficult to do it any other way.

Government action already had strong consumer support.

“We’ve done a survey and two in three people support government action to protect children from unhealthy food marketing,” Ms Martin said.

Health Minister Mark Butler said: “We want a healthy, active Australia, especially for

our children.

“I have directed the University of Wollongong to do a feasibility study on options

for limiting unhealthy food marketing in Australia, which will be reporting in

coming months.”