Aggressive marketing gets kids addicted to junk food in Tamil Nadu, finds study

Chennai

Two surveys were conducted by Mary Anne Charity Trust (MACT), as part of the research ‘Marketing and Consumption of Unhealthy Food and Beverages among Adolescents in Tamil Nadu’ in four districts — Chennai, Tiruvallur, Tiruchirapalli and Pudukottai. 

While one study covered 1,700 children in the age group of 13-15 years, the other involved 400 parents. The respondents where from government and private schools and from urban, semi-urban and rural parts. The report was released on Wednesday. 

The adolescents surveyed indicated that the group was being targeted with advertisements and promotional tools that were strategically placed. The studies also indicated that a large section of them have been exposed to the advertisements on television. 

Regina Anthony of MACT said that the survey was conducted following the observation that there has been an unprecedented rise in consumption of unhealthy food and beverages among children. “We wanted to understand why this was happening and realised that there has been aggressive marketing strategy behind the sale of these products,” she added. 

Commenting on the excessive consumption of junk food among children, Dr J Dhivyalakshmi, paediatric endocrinologist, Sri Ramachandra Hospital said that unhealthy eating practises was one of the reasons behind the increase of obesity among children. 

“This is not a good sign as it means setting in of many factors like hypertension and diabetes at a very young age. We need to address such unhealthy eating habits among children and come up with policies for the same,” she added. 

Regina also said that there was an order issued in 2006 against sale of unhealthy food items in and around schools, but the order had not been implemented effectively. “We need some carefully executed government orders or policies to combat the problem,” she added

ALARMING NUMBERS 

• 36% of adolescents preferred unhealthy food/beverages during school intervals
• 33% of adolescents saw their favourite food items in shops near schools. Particularly students from Government schools, which did not have canteens 
• 77% of adolescents were familiar with advertisements of unhealthy food/beverages, particularly on television 
• 69% of adolescents were exposed to advertisements and promotion of unhealthy food/ beverages near their schools
• 87% of parents mentioned electronic media to be the major platform of marketing of unhealthy food/beverages targeting children 
• 86% of parents wanted the government to take action in regulating advertising and promotion of unhealthy food/beverages to children 

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