The number of obese children and adolescents in the world has multiplied by 10 in the last 40 years, and WHO has been warning of this serious problem for some time now. According to the Consumer Organization (OCU), in Spain one in four children is overweight, and although many cases hide sedentary lifestyle habits, in others it is due to poor diet and high sugar consumption.
The OCU has conducted a study on the advertising of baby food and how it can affect the purchase decision of families. Therefore, requires a law that regulates this type of advertising, so that those unhealthy foods that do not meet the WHO criteria cannot be advertised in the media.
Regulated children's food advertising
The OCU has conducted a survey of 634 people on the influence of advertising among minors, and the results are really worrying because 59% of the parents surveyed acknowledge that their children influence household purchasing decisions.
The type of advertising, the packaging drawings and the gifts that are offered with some products they draw a lot of attention from children who, without being aware of whether the food they are seeing is healthy or not, ask their parents to buy it.
It is because of that The OCU has demanded a specific regulation for advertising of baby food based on WHO recommendations, and asks the authorities to:
That regulations be established that prevent child advertising in products with inadequate nutritional profiles.
That the criteria of these nutritional profiles are demanding in line with WHO recommendations.
That brands with products whose nutritional profile is unhealthy are prevented from performing healthy habits promotion campaigns.
The OCU considers that if there were a law that will require compliance with a series of minimum parameters to advertise, most products aimed at children could not be advertised in the media as they exceed the nutritional parameters recommended by WHO.
In Spain there are no laws that regulate children's advertising, that's why the consumer organization considers that "The time has come to establish legislation that clearly limits advertising messages for products that do not have the proper nutritional profile".
But advertising is not everything
There is no doubt that advertising infuses us all at the time of purchase, but especially children, whom It is easy to attract with catchy songs, funny drawings or original gifts.
But nevertheless, parents are the ones who have the last word and a child should never influence the shopping cart, much less when it comes to food and health.
Therefore, regardless of advertising, We must know how to fill our pantry And what can we do to avoid the excessive consumption of sugar in the diet of our children and in our own:
- First, it is very important to lead by example. It is no use talking to children about the benefits of fruit and vegetables, for example, if we do not eat them.
Always opt, or as far as possible, for fresh products because the more processed a food is, the more likely it is to contain saturated fats, oils and excess sugar or salt.
The type of cuisine is also important. Let's opt for steaming, baking or grilling and let the fried for very specific occasions.
Let's always try to make the food, instead of buying it already made. Purees for babies, cereal porridge or pastries are healthier if we make them at home instead of buying them.
Let's pay special attention to breakfast, snacks and lunches that our children take to school.
In this type of food it is usually easier and faster to fall into processed foods or with excess sugar or fat. Eliminate packaged juices, cereals and yogurts with high sugar content or industrial pastries, and replace it with fresh fruit, snacks or healthy snacks.
Involve children in the kitchen since according to studies, children who see their parents cook for longer at home take healthier decisions when choosing your own foods.
Eating as a family is also very important because it allows us not only to share time and catch up on our day, but to enjoy food, educate by example and forget about the rush, which has such a negative influence on feeding In a healthy way.
- And let's not forget how important it is to move, play, play sports and avoid sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Via OCU-December
In Babies and More Healthy Eating, Childhood Obesity, Sport, Sugar
