Did you know that Victorian children are exposed to at least 25 unhealthy food and drink advertisements every day?
Research has found that children who were exposed to high levels of advertising were more than twice as likely to have tried a new food or drink product compared to children with low exposure. They were also twice as likely to ask a parent for a product they had seen advertised.
“The research reinforced the power of this advertising, even on older children, and confirmed how important it is to put our kids’ health above the profits of the processed food industry,” said Cancer Council Victoria’s Executive Manager, Obesity Prevention Jane Martin.
Launched by Cancer Council Victoria, Food Fight is a campaign that has raised understanding of, and concern about, the issue of unhealthy food and drink advertising and the impact it’s having on our kids’ health.
“This campaign is part of a state-wide approach to work with government and health and community groups to reduce the impact of unhealthy food and drink advertising on our children. Unhealthy diets put our kids at higher risk of being at an unhealthy weight, which could track into adulthood. We know that adults with excess weight have higher risk of chronic diseases including 13 types of cancers.”
Since launching in March 2022, the campaign received strong support from the Victorian community. To date, over 10,000 people and 30 public health and community organisations have signed our online statement calling for the removal of unhealthy food and drink advertising within 500 metres of schools, on public transport and transport infrastructure.
Unhealthy diets put our kids at higher risk of being at an unhealthy weight, which could track into adulthood.
Together, we can protect our kids from unhealthy food and drink advertising.
Join the Food Fight by visiting www.cancervic.org.au/foodfight
Cancer Council Victoria received recognition at the 2022 Victorian Health Promotion Awards for its innovative and effective work on Food Fight and was shortlisted for The Stephen Walter Excellence in Health Promotion Marketing Award category, which acknowledges effective and innovative health promotion campaigns and communications activities being rolled out in Victoria.