Is it ethical to advertise unhealthy foods to children?

Emma Jane Boyland

18 citations0/0 files storedProceedings of The Nutrition Society

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Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling

Abstract

The marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages (hereafter: food) high in fats, salt and/or sugar (HFSS) has been strongly implicated in the rising levels of childhood obesity worldwide. Multiple ethical concerns arise from the practice of exposing children to such marketing and efforts to monitor and restrict it through regulatory policies. There is considerable evidence that exposure to powerful food marketing messages affects children's food behaviours in ways that are detrimental to good dietary health. Children are particularly vulnerable to being exploited and deceived by food marketing messages based on their cognitive and developmental immaturity. HFSS food marketing also affects numerous child rights enshrined within the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (of which the UK is a signatory) including the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health. The debate has become somewhat polarised between the public health community's evidence-based assertion that all marketing is inherently exploitative and the rebuttal from food and marketing industry stakeholders that provided the marketing is 'accurate and truthful' and there is no ethical need to regulate. This polarisation is reflected in the complexity of policymaking decisions regarding the rationale for mandatory government-led policies or industry self-regulation. There are also ethical considerations inherent in the monitoring of children's food marketing exposure, particularly in the digital sphere, by researchers for the purposes of informing policy design, scope and implementation. This review paper will explore the latest evidence on these issues and consider the implications for public health research, policy, and practice.

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References

2012Systematic reviews of the evidence on the nature, extent and effects of food marketing to children. A retrospective summary 2015Social Influence on Risk Perception During Adolescence 2000The kids market: myths and realities 2019Global benchmarking of children's exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages across 22 countries 2022Systematic review of the effect of policies to restrict the marketing of foods and non‐alcoholic beverages to which children are exposed 1980Children's Responses to Repetitive Television Commercials 2018The Public Health Responsibility Deal: Using a Systems-Level Analysis to Understand the Lack of Impact on Alcohol, Food, Physical Activity, and Workplace Health Sub-Systems 2021Australian Children's Exposure to, and Engagement With, Web-Based Marketing of Food and Drink Brands: Cross-sectional Observational Study

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