Call for junk food ads ban to tackle soaring child diabetes

A GROUP of more than 100 diabetes experts has called for laws banning all forms of advertising of “unhealthy foods” that targets children.

The specialists, brought to together by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, looked at all the evidence available on how best to tackle rising rates of Type 2 diabetes, which they said was a major health threat.

They concluded that one measure would be to ban advertising directed at children for unhealthy products – such as fast food, crisps, chocolate and sugary drinks – to combat the obesity which increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

The group said current restrictions on television advertising during children’s programmes should extend to all ads, including those in newspapers, magazines and on billboards, to stop an increase in the number of obese youngsters.

In January 2008, a total ban on adverts for unhealthy food and drink products around TV programmes for under-16s came into force.  The experts said preventing an increase in the number of youngsters who are obese would cut the risk of more people developing Type 2 diabetes.  The group also called for tighter regulations of the food, drink and catering industry following their meeting last week.

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