EHN project tackling children, obesity and avoidable chronic diseases in Europe

It aims to measure and analyse food marketing to children, to develop varipus policy options to address obesity in children by reviewing current legislation and self-regulation of food marketing and eventually, to establish a pan-European action programme addressing obesity.

The 32-months on-going project will be developed in three phases:

1. policy terrain mapping (attached report on Phase 1)

2. dissemination of the findings

3. development of a pan-European programme of action to address childhood obesity.

The research methods involves review of the international literature on the nature and extent of the marketing of food to children, collection and review of national level information by the national coordinators using a questionnaire.

The current results could be summarized as followed:

 Common food products that are high in fat, salt and sugar have been identified: savoury snacks, confectionary, cakes and biscuits, fried foods, sugary drinks and breakfast cereals.

 Comparable information on the type and amount of food marketing to children have been extracted.

 The project has also shown that the current regulation of food marketing to children is not consistent and comprehensive at all.

 Present attitudes towards food marketing to children varies.

 It also suggests counterbalancing measures such as fruit and vegetable promotion, educational measures on food and health, media literacy and physical activity programmes.

The project’s results currently urge for comprehensive strategies of combating obesity; amendment for the revision of the Television Without Frontiers Directive in order to extend children’ protection around Europe; agreeing on common definition of unhealthy food; and establishing effective structures and procedures to monitor the food marketing to children throughout Europe.

In the context of the project, the European Heart Network organised a consultation on policy options in the fight against obesity on 29 November 2005 in order to address the need for a coherent single voice from NGOs. Theminutes can be downloaded below.

NGOs defined the five leading policy options:

1. Controlling sales of foods in public institutions

2. Controls on food and drinks advertising

3. Mandatory nutritional information labelling

4. Common Agriculture Policy and subsidies for healthy foods

5. Improve training for health professionals

For more information:

EPHA and BEUC organised an Health and Consumer Intergroup meeting on Unhealthy food advertising: parents under pressure; obese children in December 2005.

 Watching TV increases the risk of obesity

 **Updated**Transatlantic approaches to tackle obesity and diet-related disease