Kids exposed to unhealthy number of adverts promoting junk food shown during family TV shows
Commercials for fast food and takeaways were twice as likely to be played during episodes of programmes such as The Voice and Hollyoaks. One in three children in England is overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school
MOST food and drink adverts shown during popular family TV shows contain unhealthy levels of fat, sugar or salt, a study found.
Researchers say 60 per cent of these commercials could not be shown during kids’ programmes because of restrictions on junk food advertising.
But five times as many youngsters watch family shows than those specifically aimed at children, with the law covering just 27 per cent of their viewing time.
Health campaigners say the findings support their call for restrictions to be extended to all programmes broadcast before the 9pm watershed.
Experts at the University of Liverpool analysed adverts shown before and during a number of popular family shows, including The Voice, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks, aired between 6pm and 9pm for four weeks.
Adverts for fast food and takeaways such as McDonald's, Domino’s and Haribo were shown over twice as often as any other type of food and drinks advert.
Commercials for fruit and vegetables made up just 1 per cent of all food and drink adverts.
An episode of Hollyoaks on E4 – typically watched by 140,000 children – showed nine junk food adverts in just 30 minutes.
And three quarters of all food and drink adverts shown during The Voice – watched by 708,000 children an episode – were for unhealthy items.
One in three children in England is overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school.
This places them at increased risk of type-2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and depression.
Campaign group The Obesity Health Alliance is calling for a 9pm junk food watershed.
Caroline Cerny, from the OHA, said: “The rules to protect children from junk food advertising on TV are ten years old.
“They weren’t strong enough then and they are definitely not fit for purpose now.
“The programmes most popular with children are dominated by junk food brands who seem intent on turning us all into ‘telechubbies’.
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A Government spokesman said: “Current advertising restrictions in the UK on junk food are among the toughest in the world, including a ban on advertising junk food in children’s media.
“Alongside this we are delivering the most ambitious childhood obesity plan in the world – taxing sugary drinks, funding research on junk food advertising and cutting sugar and calories in food before it hits shelves and plates.
“But it’s very early days tackling a problem decades in the making, and we have not ruled out further action if the right results are not seen.”