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New ad rules combat childhood obesity

Friday, October 12 14:10:39

The representative body for primary school leaders, the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN), has praised new advertising rules announced today that will attempt to fight the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has announced that it will implement new regulations limiting the advertising of high fat, salt and sugar food and drink to children in order to 'curb the growing trend of childhood obesity and create a more responsible culture of children's advertising'.

According to recent studies, 327,000 children are estimated to be either obese or overweight, amounting to roughly half of all primary school children in Ireland.

'The new rules are an important step forward in the battle against childhood obesity which is a major health risk for our society,' said IPPN Driector Sean Cottrell. 'The restrictions will also help to wean food and drink companies off any notion that children are a soft touch for marketers keen to push products to a vulnerable cohort of the population. These new rules are especially timely in the context of the upcoming referendum on children's rights.'

Mr Cottrell welcomed the exemption of advertisements for cheese from the new rules, describing the move as 'sensible on the basis that cheese is healthy and nutritious for children.'