Almost a third (32 per cent) of teenagers would be in favour of banning the advertising of junk food to those aged under 18, to reduce junk food eating habits among teenagers, according to new research commissioned by the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF).
In a survey of 500 teenagers and 500 parents by Empathy Research, three quarters of Irish teenagers said they see junk food advertised “often” in their daily lives particularly through social media and TV ads.
Almost half (49 per cent) of teenagers surveyed said they would advocate for stopping the sale of energy drinks to those under 18.
Just over four in ten (44 per cent) teenagers surveyed also agreed that clearer labelling of ingredients in junk food could help reduce junk food consumption among teenagers, with 37 per cent advocating for making the packaging of healthy foods more appealing.
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Meanwhile, two thirds (66 per cent) of parents surveyed said they were concerned about their teenager being exposed to junk food marketing on social media.
Junk food advertisements on social media are resonating with teenagers because they have a sense of humour and are visually appealing, according to the IHF, and they are often accompanied by lively music; or, in the eyes of the teenagers, have content that reflects the real life of influencers and their daily lives and are viewed as honest and transparent.
As part of its new ‘Stop Targeting Kids’ campaign, the IHF is calling on the Government to protect children in Ireland from online junk food marketing and to introduce a Public Health (Obesity) Act and introduce fresh measures to combat the direct marketing of foods high in fat, salt and sugar to teenagers online.
The charity is calling for a ban on online junk food advertising aimed at children; a 9pm watershed on TV that would be covered by a Public Health Obesity Act; and an end to junk food advertising on State-owned transport, buildings and other public infrastructure.
Following the ban on junk food advertising on public transport in London in 2019 by the city’s mayor Sadiq Khan, the IHF is asking the Government to expand this idea further.
Chris Macey, director of advocacy at the IHF said: “In London, it had a really good impact. The results were that households purchased 1,000 less calories per week after the ban was introduced. We think it’s ridiculous that we have a government that is supposed to be fighting childhood obesity and yet the State is earning money out of junk food advertising. There is a mismatch there that doesn’t make sense.”
According to the IHF’s new research, a high proportion of parents agree that there is too much food advertising targeting children (70 per cent), with almost half (49 per cent) agreeing that they are finding it harder to get their teenager to eat healthy food.