The marketing of sugary drinks to children is “cynical and offensive”, Donal O’Shea, consultant endocrinologist at St Vincent’s hospital, has said.
Speaking at the Royal College of Physicians public meeting last night, Prof O’Shea called for a review of how such drinks are promoted and the effect their consumption has, particularly on children. He warned such drinks provided no nutritional benefits, were linked to weight gain and contained liquid calories.
Pointing to a recent campaign by Coca Cola which featured people’s names on bottle labels, he said: “Names on bottles doesn’t qualify as advertising but as brand management – so it’s outside of all the regulations. But it’s clearly aimed at kids.
"The companies need to be responsible about their marketing. That is a deeply cynical peddling of unhealthy products to impressionable kids and we know it's causing harm. Companies need to corporately become more responsible," said Prof O'Shea.
Obesity 'epidemic'
"With one in four Irish schoolchildren classified as overweight or obese, we have an epidemic and the Government must take action. We are facing an avalanche of type two diabetes in Ireland," he said.
“Sugary drinks and energy drinks are heavily promoted. Sports stars are often used by industry to market their sports drinks and that is something I think should be discouraged in the future.”
Meanwhile, Dr Stephen Stewart, consultant hepatologist and director of the centre for liver disease at the Mater hospital, highlighted the link between alcohol consumption and cancer.
“Many people don’t seem to realise that alcohol is a carcinogenic and is a factor in diseases such as breast, oesophageal, bowel and colon cancer. If you go above your units, you increase the risk of disease,” he said.