“Marketing is just washing over this country like a tidal wave, and we’re trying to give people swimming lessons.”
—Kelly D. Brownell, UConn Rudd Center
Ottawa, ON – May 6, 2022 – The Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition commends Patricia Lattanzio, Member of Parliament for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, as she moves Bill C-252 to second reading today in the House of Commons. Private Member’s Bill C-252 aims to prohibit the marketing of food and beverages high in sugar, saturated fats or sodium to children under 13 years of age. Read more…
June 7, 2021 – Coalition Poids, The Childhood Obesity Foundation and Heart & Stroke call on all levels of government to follow the lead of Newfoundland and Labrador and introduce a sugary drinks levy that can be reinvested in prevention as a promising strategy to bring greater health and economic benefits. Read more…
June 17, 2019 – The Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition is calling attention to a communication to Senators in The Hill Times urging the Senate to pass Bill S-228 before the end of the current parliamentary session. Known as the Child Health Protection Act, the bill would restrict the marketing of foods and beverages high in sugar, salt and saturated fat to children 12 and under. The communication, an urgent plea to senators, was placed by the Canadian Paediatric Society (which is an endorsing organization of the Coalition) and the Pediatric Chairs of Canada. Read more…
July 30, 2017 -Heart & Stroke welcomes the recent announcement by Health Canada to launch two public consultations as part of its Healthy Eating Strategy. These consultations will allow Canadians to have input around two public policy areas that can significantly support them to be able to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families. Read more…
May 23, 2017 – To rally support for federal legislation intended to restrict food and beverage marketing to all children in Canada, Heart & Stroke’s next step in its fight against marketing to kids uses a new (and entirely fictional) advertising agency called “16 and Under” that exclusively creates ads targeting kids. Read more…
February 1, 2017 – New research reveals advertising restrictions urgently needed to protect kids and support parents. Read more…
October 7, 2016 – Jamie Oliver and Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition identify areas for immediate action. Read more…
September 28, 2016 – The Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition applauds Senator Nancy Greene Raine for introducing legislation prohibiting food and beverage marketing to children. Read more…
March 1, 2016 – The Heart and Stroke Foundation praises the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology for its comprehensive report on obesity and important nutrition policy recommendations that will have a real impact on the health of Canadians. Read more…
February 24, 2016 – Co-led by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Childhood Obesity Foundation, the Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition says the time has come to protect children and to support parents to make healthy decisions for their families. Read more…
May 9, 2013 – Approximately 20 health organizations have joined together in light of Canada Health Day 2013 to support of a policy statement calling for a restriction on marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. Read more…
PortageOnline
The Federal Government has been approached by several health organizations about the negative effects sugary drinks are having on the health of Canadians… The Heart and Stroke Foundation is proposing a five cent federal tax per hundred milliliters on sugar-sweetened beverages, saying such a levy would be a sustainable source of tax revenue that would generate $1.8 billion every year for the public treasury. Read more here…
To view or download a PDF copy of the slides, click this link: The Canadian Landscape of Food and Beverage Marketing to Kids
Like many Canadians, you probably watched at least a few moments of the 2016 Olympic Games. You might remember Penny Oleksiak winning gold, silver, and bronze. You probably also recall advertisements for Olympic partners, like Coca-Cola. What might be less obvious is food marketing in sports centres close to home.
Researchersi recently measured food and beverage marketing in public recreation facilities in Canada. They recorded promotional signs around the facility, including where kids play sports and buy food. They noted whether concession prices encouraged unhealthy purchases, and what kinds of foods were next to the cash register. The results were clear: unhealthy food and beverage marketing is present in public recreation facilities, not only in elite sports.
Researchers found that facilities promoted a food or beverage product, brand or retailer an average of 34 times. On average, children were directly targeted at least twice per facility. More than half of the advertisements promoted unhealthy products (sugary drinks, candy, chocolate, deep-fried foods). Only 26% promoted healthy products (water, fruit, milk, fresh groceries). Shockingly, more food marketing was found in sport areas, entrances, and hallways than in the concession!
Does promoting burger joints, sugary drinks, and deep-fried food make sense in public recreation facilities – a place that promotes health and fitness for all ages? Current research tells us that children in sport often consume more fast food and sugary drinks than non-active children. This may be associated with selling and marketing these foods in sports. Aren’t recreation facilities the place to encourage healthy eating that supports optimal performance and health?
Together, we can shift the “sport diet” in our communities. Ask your sport centre to restrict unhealthy food marketing in kids’ sports and promote only healthy foods and beverages. Visit Food Action in Recreation Environments to learn how to support healthy eating at your local recreation facility.
i. Heart & Stroke-funded research (the Eat, Play, Live Project) is measuring the food environments in public recreation facilities in 4 provinces. These results are preliminary/ unpublished.
By Rachel Prowse, Registered Dietitian and PhD Candidate in Health Promotion and Socio-Behavioural Sciences at the University of Alberta
Vancouver Sun
The Globe & Mail