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A Ban on Marketing of Foods/Beverages to Children: The Who, Why, What and How of a Population Health Intervention

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Abstract

There is increasing recognition in Canada and elsewhere of the need for population-level interventions related to diet. One example of such an intervention is a ban on the marketing of foods/beverages to children, for which several health organizations have or are in the process of developing position statements. Considering the federal government’s inaction to impose restrictions that would yield meaningful impact, there is opportunity for the health community to unite in support of a stronger set of policies. However, several issues and challenges exist, some of which we outline in this commentary. We emphasize that, despite challenges, the present and predicted future of diet-related illness in Canadian children is such that population-level intervention is necessary and becoming increasingly urgent, and there is an important role for the health community in facilitating action.

Résumé

On reconnaît de plus en plus, au Canada et ailleurs, la nécessité de mener des interventions à l’échelle des populations pour influer sur le régime alimentaire–par exemple, l’interdiction de la publicité sur les aliments et les boissons destinée aux enfants, au sujet de laquelle plusieurs organismes de santé élaborent ou ont élaboré des énoncés de position. Le gouvernement fédéral hésite à imposer des restrictions qui auraient un impact significatif; les milieux de la santé ont là une occasion de s’unir pour promulguer des politiques plus strictes. Il existe cependant plusieurs problèmes et difficultés à surmonter, et nous en décrivons certaines dans ce commentaire. Nous soulignons que malgré les obstacles, la situation présente et l’avenir prévisible des maladies liées au régime alimentaire chez les enfants canadiens sont telles qu’une intervention populationnelle est nécessaire, qu’elle devient même urgente, et que les milieux de la santé ont un rôle important à jouer pour faciliter le passage à l’action.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, TRW3, 3280 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada

    Daniel J. Dutton MA & Lindsay McLaren PhD

  2. Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Norman R. C. Campbell MD

  3. Department of Communication and Culture, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Charlene Elliott PhD

Authors
  1. Daniel J. Dutton MA
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  2. Norman R. C. Campbell MD
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  3. Charlene Elliott PhD
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  4. Lindsay McLaren PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lindsay McLaren PhD.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: Daniel J. Dutton is funded through a traineeship from the Population Health Intervention Research Network, via the Population Health Intervention Research Centre at the University of Calgary. Charlene Elliott acknowledges the generous support of the CIHR Canada Research Chairs Program. Lindsay McLaren is funded by a Population Health Investigator Award from Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions. We thank Prof. J.C. Herbert Emery for helpful comments on an earlier version of the commentary.

Conflict of Interest: Dr. Norman R.C. Campbell received financial travel support from Boehringer Ingelheim to attend hypertension meetings in 2010. Otherwise, the authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Dutton, D.J., Campbell, N.R.C., Elliott, C. et al. A Ban on Marketing of Foods/Beverages to Children: The Who, Why, What and How of a Population Health Intervention. Can J Public Health 103, 100–102 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404211

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404211

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