Children are still being exposed to the same number of fast food advertisements, despite self-regulatory policies implemented by the fast food industry in 2009, according to a new study.
The study, published by The Medical Journal of Australia, found that from 2009 to 2010, the overall average of fast-food advertisements increased from 1.1 to 1.5 per hour, while junk food advertising during children's programming remained the same (1.3 per hour).
The research has led to renewed calls for the government to become more involved with the regulation of junk food advertising.
The findings are despite the fact that in 2009 the fast food industry entered into a self-regulatory policy called Australian Quick Service Restaurant Industry Initiative for Responsible Advertising and Marketing to Children. The code was signed by major fast food chains including McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut and Hungry Jacks.
The researchers wrote: "Recent evidence has indicated that self-regulation is inadequate in protecting Australian children from the harmful effects of junk-food advertising.
"Recent self-regulatory initiatives for responsible advertising to children, introduced by food and advertising industries, have provided some specifications for the types of foods and marketing techniques they consider appropriate for advertising to children and for defining child audiences. However these specifications are poorly defined, highly permissive, and are voluntary for food manufacturers and services."
"The limitations of current industry-based self-regulatory initiatives that are illustrated in our study reinforce the recommendations of the World Health Organization on the need for government leadership to set the policy framework and key definitions for restrictions on food marketing to children."
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