WHO calls for stricter regulations on marketing unhealthy foods to children to combat rising childhood obesity

SWITZERLAND —The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently introduced a comprehensive guideline aimed at urging governments to implement more rigorous regulations regarding the advertising of unhealthy foods that are high in saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, free sugars, or salt (HFSS) to children.

This initiative marks a significant shift in the WHO’s position, as it now denounces what it describes as predatory tactics employed by fast food companies.

For the first time, the WHO advises countries that the only effective solution to address this issue is through mandatory regulations that restrict the industry’s ability to target children.

Furthermore, the WHO emphasizes that the measures must extend beyond children’s media due to the pervasive nature of advertising.

Francesco Branca, the WHO Director of Nutrition and Food Safety, stressed the conflict between the objectives of private entities and the interests of public health, stating, “Marketing is done to promote products, and promoting products is done to improve profits.”

Branca’s statement highlights the urgent need to reconcile the profit-driven strategies of food companies with the imperative to safeguard public health.

The updated guideline follows more than a decade of limited progress since the World Health Assembly initially endorsed recommendations in 2010 to protect children from harmful food marketing.

However, the global policy landscape still lags behind, with only 60 countries worldwide having adopted policies that restrict food marketing to children, and a mere 20 of them having enacted mandatory legislation.

Moreover, the existing regulations often exhibit loopholes. Many policies solely safeguard young children under the age of five and fail to encompass digital marketing, which has become the primary avenue for children’s exposure to advertisements in today’s digitized world.

Dr. Ailan Li, Assistant Director-General for Healthier Populations at WHO, expressed concerns over the rising prevalence of harmful food marketing in digital spaces, stating, “It is an increasing worry for all of us that children are now exposed to harmful food marketing in digital spaces. Digital marketing is the most important now and for the future.”

Stemming childhood obesity

The primary objective of these guidelines is to tackle the escalating problem of childhood obesity. WHO’s efforts to limit the influence of unhealthy food marketing on children stem from the global concern surrounding the epidemic of childhood obesity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Alarming statistics reveal that there has been minimal progress in curbing childhood obesity rates over the past two decades.

As of 2020, an estimated 40 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese, with 41% of them residing in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Additionally, in 2016, another 337 million children aged 5-19 were affected by these conditions, according to the most recent available data.

Although the food industry has made some efforts to address the adverse health effects of their products, these measures have proven insufficient.

Dr. Li emphasized the interference of food industry lobby groups in policymaking, which frequently results in the dilution, delay, or defeat of crucial policies.

Considering that voluntary restrictions by the industry have shown no significant impact, WHO officials argue that it is necessary to acknowledge market realities and implement top-down regulations.

Juliette McHardy, a legal expert consulting on the commercial determinants of health at WHO, highlights the misalignment between certain industries, particularly segments of the food industry primarily offering unhealthy options and public health interests.

McHardy states, “The principal profit-generating products and services of these industries require they grow their markets by shaping our preferences and knowledge in favor of harmful products and behaviors.”

Children’s rights at stake

Based on an extensive review of nearly 200 studies examining children’s exposure to food marketing and its impact on their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to eating, the WHO concludes that marketing harmful foods to children is a violation of their rights.

The organization argues that defending marketing practices loses ground when the marketed products harm health and pose a threat to children’s rights.

Recognizing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which emphasizes children’s rights to health, optimal development, privacy, and freedom from exploitation, the WHO asserts that countries have an obligation to take action to protect children from marketing high in saturated fats, sugars, and salt (HFSS) foods.

The omnipresence of marketing for unhealthy foods in children’s daily lives—whether through television, schools, social media, or sports clubs—constitutes a violation of their rights.

The non-consensual exposure of children to advertisements that can have long-term health implications further exacerbates the issue.

WHO underscores that countries that are State Parties to the Convention must fulfill their obligations and prioritize the protection of children’s rights.

Taking action to restrict the marketing of HFSS foods is essential to safeguard children’s rights, including their rights to health, adequate and nutritious food, privacy, and freedom from exploitation.

Protecting children’s rights

Dietary risks linked to the consumption of unhealthy foods have become a major contributor to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), causing nearly 8 million deaths and accounting for more than 10% of all disability-adjusted life years lost in 2019.

Recognizing the influential role of marketing in shaping children’s dietary preferences, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize the urgent need for governments to take action and prevent children from becoming victims of this alarming statistic.

According to Juliette McHardy, a legal expert consulting on the commercial determinants of health at WHO, regulating health-harming markets requires focusing on the core business models of relevant commercial actors.

By reducing their ability to employ marketing strategies that shape public preferences and undermine knowledge of the associated harms, governments can effectively protect public health.

This approach also helps address power imbalances that hinder political will and capacity to enact and enforce marketing regulations, thereby strengthening the public sector’s ability to counter health-harming practices.

The marketing of unhealthy foods not only affects children’s diets but also infringes upon their rights. Pierre Cook Jr., Technical Advisor for Youth Voices at the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, highlights the detrimental consequences of allowing predatory marketing to infiltrate schools, media, and communities.

Cook stresses the need to challenge the pervasive culture of exploitation that prioritizes profit over the well-being of children.

To ensure children’s growth, learning, and development free from exploitation, it is crucial to remain resolute in addressing this pressing issue.

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