Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access

Protecting children from bad food habits control of advertising of food and drink products to children in Brazil: Lessons for the Americas

International Conference on Pediatrics & Gynecology

6-8 December 2011 Philadelphia Airport Marriott, USA

Fabio Gomes

Accepted Abstracts-2011: Pediatr Therapeut

Abstract :

In recent decades, international trade barriers have been lift ed, a policy of deregulation has been instituted across the globe, and multinational food and drink corporations have grown rapidly. Th ese and other factors have shift ed the food supplies of many countries away from traditional foods, and towards intensely processed and oft en energy-dense fatty, sugary or salty products, which typically are branded and heavily advertised and promoted. It is now generally accepted that the marketing of energy-dense foods, snacks and drinks to children is an important cause of the rapid rise of childhood and early life overweigh t and obesity, and raises the risk of related diseases in early and later life. Th is is confi rmed in the 2009 WCRF/AICR report Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention , and its executive summaries Politicas e A��es para Preven��o do C�ncer no Brasil , and Pol�ticas y Medidas Para la Prevenci�n Del C�ncer y de Otras Enfermedades Cr�nicas en Am�rica Latina, produced in partnership with the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), and with the Pan American Health Organization. Th ese all recommend that governments take the lead in restricting advertising and marketing of ?fast? food, other processed foods, and sugary drinks, as does the World Health Organization. Th e question is, by what methods? Civil society organizations favour legislation, whereas industry favours voluntary codes. Th is presentation will summarize the results of policies, interventions and discussions in Mexico and Brazil, involving government, industry, and civil society, and will and provide insights into the best way forward inside and beyond Latin America.