Alarm WHO, advertising 'junk foods ruin health children - ANSA.it

Into ROME – The advertising of foods high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, has a “disastrous” on children, in particular those already overweight. The warning comes from the World Health Organization (WHO) that the latest report on childhood obesity – ahead of the summit in Vienna from 4 to 5 July – underlines the urgent need for governments to tighter controls on advertising campaigns so-called ‘junk foods’.

A narrow that cover not only advertising on TV, but also on the new media. The promotion of food ‘junk’, said the WHO, has been recognized as one of the risk factors for childhood obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases. Even if the TV remains the primary means of these marketing campaigns, adds to the WHO, the food industry uses more and more new advertising channels, because cheaper, such as social networks and mobile apps, to reach children .

Most of the advertised foods contain high levels of fat, sugar or salt: at the top of the soft-drink sugary sodas, sugary cereals for breakfast, cookies, snacks, sweets, ready meals and fast food . According to some studies, the WHO points out, children learn to recognize the marks from early childhood and those who recognize different within 4 years of age are more prone to gain weight. In addition, overweight children already meet the increasing consumption of foods advertised themselves.