CCS is actively monitoring and responding to the recommendations of the Public Health Agency of Canada regarding coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Restrict marketing to kids
The time has come to protect children and to support parents to make healthy decisions for their families. The Canadian Cancer Society is a proud supporting partner on the Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition and one of over 100 endorsers of the Ottawa Principles. The Ottawa Principles call for restriction of commercial marketing of all food and beverages to children and youth age 16 and under with the exception of non-commercial marketing for public education. They also include a set of definitions, scope, and principles to guide policy development.
Research has shown that food and beverage marketing has an impact on:
- the foods children eat
- their food preferences and beliefs
- the foods they pester their parents to buy
- rising rates of childhood obesity
- increased risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer
From a cancer risk perspective, this is concerning because if children who have obesity remain obese as adults, they are at increased risk for at least 11 different types of cancer.
Food and beverage companies bombard our children with millions of irresistible messages every year, and we’re all living the unhealthy results. It’s time for Canadians to fight back. Take action. Tell food and beverage companies our kids are not their business.
Join us in telling government to restrict the commercial marketing of foods and beverages to children and youth. Start a conversation on Twitter with #marketing2kids.
Reducing the burden of cancer
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