Do we need to control children’s exposure to food and drink marketing?
General objectives
The general objective of the project is to improve understanding of the influences on children's dietary choices, and to contribute to improving the nutritional status of children in Europe, and counteracting the challenge of obesity and non-communicable disease.
Strategic relevance and contribution to the public health programme
The 2006 European Regional Ministerial meeting on the challenge of obesity identified marketing of foods and beverages to children as a public health issue that needed regulation. The European Commission's White Paper 'Strategy on Overweight and Obesity' also recognised this issue and urged industry to take voluntary action, which would be reviewed in 2010. The Polmark project is designed to provide specific intelligence resources for policy-makers to assist in these strategic objectives.
Methods and means
The project consists of three work packages contributing to the objectives.
-The first is to update the 'state of the art' review of current controls and regulations on marketing to children in all EU member states, which was last undertaken by the World Health Organization in 2005-6.
-The second work package will identify over 100 key stakeholders concerned with children's health and with food and beverage production and promotion (at least 10 stakeholders in each of 11 member states) and undertake interviews to assess the stakeholders'views and the likely opportunities and barriers which exist in developing policies in this area.
-The third work package will utilise the interview material to undertake further assessment of the health impact of food promotion according to the stakeholders' judgements, and to map the quantified health impact data in relation to the stakeholders' positions. This will support the use of health impact assessment techniques as one of the tools available to policy-makers.
The project's outcomes will advance understanding of current policies and policy options on marketing controls in relation to children's foods and beverages, and extend the methodology available for Health Impact Assessment.
Funding from the European Union € 390 700
EAHC Project Contract No 2007325
