Ban fast food ads targeting children and watch obesity rates decline – it’s a simple recommendation, and one a University of British Columbia marketing and policy expert suggests it’s key to helping Canadian children avoid unhealthy eating.
In 1980, Quebec imposed legislation that banned advertisements for toys and fast food aimed at children under 13 in print and electronic media.
Under the three-decades-old Quebec Consumer Protection Act, television shows with an audience made up of at least 15 per cent of kids cannot air child-targeted ads.
Instead, ads for cars or dishwasher detergent are aired during Saturday morning cartoons while adult-friendly programmed is usually paired with toy ads.
“Fast food chains, such as McDonald’s can still advertise during late-night shows, but not during afternoon cartoons,” Dhar told Global News.
Dhar said that the annual drop in household fast food purchases represents the equivalent of $88 million U.S. in 2010.
Dhar also says that policymakers shouldn’t use the banning of fast food ads as the magic bullet to solve the country’s problem with escalating obesity rates. »
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