WHO moves to protect children from unhealthy food, drinks

The World Health Organisation (WHO) for the Western Pacific launched on Monday a new tool to protect children from unhealthy food and drink that cause obesity and other serious health problems, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

The tool, called the regional profile model, will help governments and policy-makers to more easily identify food and non-alcoholic beverages that should not be marketed to children.

"Nutrient profiles rank foods by their nutritional composition," the WHO said in a statement.

"As such, they are critical tools for the implementation of restrictions on the marketing of food and beverages to children."

Across the Western Pacific Region, the WHO said marketers of unhealthy food and beverages target children. These food and beverages are high in calories, saturated and trans fats, salt and sugar, the consumption of which are driving exploding rates of obesity and other health problems in many countries across the region.

"Children are constantly bombarded with clever marketing campaigns that use advertising, promotion and sponsorship techniques pioneered by the tobacco and alcohol industries," said Shin Young-soo, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific.

He said marketing plays a major role in shaping the children's diet, preferences and consumption patterns.

"Imbedded early on, these effects last a lifetime, so we must protect our children's health from these harmful influences," Shin said.

WHO said evidence shows a link between the exposure to marketing and unhealthy dietary behaviors.

"Unhealthy diets are a key risk factor for noncommunicable diseases in children, including obesity and tooth decay," the organization said.

Despite this evidence, the WHO said children remain inadequately protected from harmful marketing practices including television, print and billboard advertising, internet, promotion and sponsorship of school and sports events.

The WHO said childhood obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases are a complex public health problem among children and adolescents across the Western Pacific region.

In several countries, the WHO said overweight affects up to 15 percent of children under age five and almost 60 percent of adolescents in some Pacific islands countries.

"Dental caries also affect between 60 to 95 percent of children under five in some countries. Growing rates of overweight and obesity are also linked to a rise in non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer," the WHO said.

Despite the region's growing noncommunicable diseases crises, the WHO said governments struggle to implement policies to reduce the intake of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

"Restrictions on marketing are part of a comprehensive set of policy options to reduce consumption of unhealthy foods and address diet-related noncommunicable diseases. These are also part of the time-bound commitments that member states made to combat these diseases," the WHO said.

It also stressed the need include front and back of packed food labeling and the restrictions on unhealthy foods and beverages sold in schools.

-- BERNAMA