Act banning food advertising to children 'extremely important,' says prof

A professor at UPEI says aSenate bill lookingto banfood and beverage marketing directed at children may be an essential piece of legislation in reducing childhood obesity and disease.

BillS-228, called the Child Health Protection Act,was introducedby Conservative Sen.Nancy GreeneRaineand has recently been floored for debatein theHouse of Commons.

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Its gone from beyond TV, to the Internet and digital media, and that's something that has gone unaddressed. Jennifer Taylor

It's expected to be passed this year and has received multi-party support.

Jennifer Taylor, afood and nutrition professor at UPEI, said the bill is "extremely important" in banning junk food ads and combating chronic disease and childhood obesity.

Unhealthy advertisements aimed at children have been "a problem for years," she said.

"Its gone from beyond TV, to the Internet and digital media, and that's something that has gone unaddressed."

'Children have changed the way they eat'

Taylor has pushed for healthy lunch programs for schoolsin the past and has worked closely with the province as director of the Healthy Eating Alliance a non-profitgroup that promoted healthy eating at Island schools and distributedmoney from the province for breakfast and snack programs.

The alliance disbanded due to a lack of funding in March, 2016.

In Taylor's experience, advertising is one part of a multifacetedproblem regarding childhood obesity in Canada another problem being companies marketing their food to go along with sports and physical activity.

"Physical activity is a piece, but the food and beverage industry have just been milking that saying 'oh kids just need to move' it's not true," she said.

"We know that children have changed the way they eat, just getting them to move is not enough."

Much of the bill's finer details have yet to be hammered out in the House of Commons. Should the bill passthis year itwould take until 2020 to become law.

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