There's a direct link between junkfood advertising and childhood obesity.
That's according to the Irish Heart Foundation which is lobbying the government to introduce a blanket ban on targeted adds towards children.
According to a survey it carried out, 71% of people are in favour of the move, while 89% rated childhood obesity as a big concern in Ireland.
The Department of Health introduced a voluntary code on the marketing of food and beverages on non-broadcast media, however nine months on, no guidelines for its implementation have been issued and an independent monitoring body has still not been established.
Tim Collins, CEO of the Irish Heart Foundation, said, “There is conclusive and long-standing proof of a causal link between junk food marketing to children and child obesity. We know junk food marketing to children is rampant, we know it is fuelling obesity, we know this is damaging children’s health and we know the State is not doing enough to tackle the problem and is failing in its duty of care to protect children’s health.”
