New York Times Nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, parents across the country — and the world — are watching their children slide down an increasingly slippery path into an all-consuming digital life.“There will be a period of epic withdrawal,” warned one addiction specialist, once schools, activities and social life return to normal. Read […]
The Globe and Mail A steady intake of ultra-processed foods has been linked to an increased risk of chronic health problems such as obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Now, findings from a large Italian study add to mounting evidence that ultra-processed foods should be limited. Added sugars in these foods, […]
Medical XPress Cancer Research UK researchers asked 3,394 11- 19-year-olds from across the UK where they had seen advertising that month for food and drink high in fat, sugar and salt with 86% responding that they had seen adverts for junk food on social media. Read more You can read the study here
New York Times The playbook for much of the junk-food marketing is similar to what the tobacco industry used for decades: advertising strategies focused on young people, a shirking of responsibility for poisoning entire populations, and an emphasis on individuals’ responsibility for their own health. Read more
The Chronicle Herald The study is being led by Catherine Mah of the Dalhousie University school of health administration, the Canada Research Chair in healthy population. “I think the most important thing that we’re approaching in this research is that nutrition is already a concern in the Atlantic provinces. (They) have one of the highest […]
News-Medical. net A new article, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, asserts that current gaps in the regulation of commercial educational websites are exposing children to unhealthy food marketing. A review of over 500 children’s educational websites found that approximately 60% have ads or unclear policies around advertising. For food companies, this […]
BBC Science Focus Research suggests that an online advert ban will be most beneficial to children whose parents earn the least (and are therefore at increased risk of obesity and other diet-related illnesses), compared to those who earn the most, thus additionally playing a role in reducing socioeconomic health inequalities. Read the article
Science Daily The more TV kids watch, the more ads they see and the more likely they are to ask for things on shopping trips. That may contribute to parents’ overall stress levels, researchers found. Read the article
The Guardian Research has found that one in three children leaving primary school are overweight, or obese, as are almost two-thirds of adults in England. “This would be a world-leading policy to improve children’s health,” said Fran Bernhardt, coordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign. “Online adverts have cast unhealthy food in the starring role for […]
Statistics Canada A new Statistics Canada study found that the overall dietary share of ultra-processed foods remains high among Canadians, accounting for more than half of the daily energy intake among children and teenagers in 2015 (the most recent year for which data was available). However, dietary energy contributions of soft drinks, fruit juices and […]
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