A public health specialist yesterday criticised the draft new code aimed at restricting children's advertising, saying it did not go far enough.
Prof Ivan Perry said that while the code from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, published earlier this week, stipulates that fast food adverts aimed at children should carry a warning that they be eaten in moderation and as part of a balanced diet, this was not sufficient to curb growing obesity levels.
A recent and as yet unpublished study which he was involved in found one-fifth of 12-year-old boys in Ireland were now obese, he said.
He feels there should be a blanket ban on the advertising of junk food targeted at children under 12 years.
"We have to be careful that we don't bring in excessive and needless regulation but there are certain food items of no nutritional value at all that are marketed and sooner or later we are going to have to take a view as to whether we are happy to give space on our air waves to food which is damaging our kids' health and indeed our health in general," he said.
He was speaking following a public debate organised in Dublin yesterday by Safefood, the Food Safety Promotion Board, to discuss issues arising from the publication of the BCI's draft code.
Mr Michael Caraher, chief executive of the Association of Advertisers in Ireland, said they were not happy with the code and felt it would increase their costs.