Children being ‘bombarded’ with ‘harmful’ fast food ads, charity warns
How ‘harmful’ marketing could increase risk of obesity and cancer
- A recent poll suggests that children and teenagers are frequently exposed to unhealthy food content online, with engagement increasing when shared by influencers.
- Cancer Research UK has called for stronger government action to protect young people from harmful marketing, citing concerns that “harmful marketing could increase their risk of obesity and cancer in the future”.
- New legislation set to come into force next year will ban paid-for online advertising of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt, though the charity warns of potential loopholes and implementation delays.
- A survey by Cancer Research UK found that young people aged 11 to 21 often felt tempted or hungry after viewing online content featuring high fat, salt, and sugar foods.
- Concerns about food addiction are growing, with experts scheduled to meet in London to discuss the issue, as estimates suggest 10 million people in the UK are addicted to junk food.