"Government and lobby groups around the world are discussing whether the regulation of food advertising to children is the next step in fighting the battle against childhood obesity," says William Bird, MMP executive director.
The MMP says that it is very concerned about the advertising of fast food to children considering the high rates of child obesity in South Africa. And Bird wants urgent action to be taken to curb this trend.
"It is time that the representatives of the advertising and marketing industry come together to start finding South African solutions before we get to a point where regulation seems to be the only option," Bird added.
Perhaps, South Africa needs to follow the United Kingdom's example, where consumer and health groups have recently called for a ban on all fast food advertising aimed at children before the 9pm watershed hour.
The UK, like China and the US, has been on a knife-edge for the past few years about the growing problem of obesity among adults as well as children. In South Africa, the problem is even worse, with statistics showing that close to 12 million women - almost half of the female population - are now overweight. And 30% of men are also suffering the same fate.
SA now tops the list of African countries in terms of obesity, reports say. In almost all the cases, it was found that junk food, coupled with lack of exercise, has been the main cause of the problem.
Concerned experts and observers now are calling for realistic regulations to curb this worrying trend.
The MMP is inviting media and marketing shareholders to engage proactively in forming a policy task force to draft local recommendations on food and drink advertising to children.
"Advertising plays an important role in society and economy. In terms of our constitution and all the legal provisions, children are afforded special protection," the MMP's Bird said.
"This protection does not exclude advertising and it means we have to take into consideration the current rise in childhood obesity."
Furthermore, the majority of participants in the British survey felt that regulation of food and drink advertising to children was necessary and that industry regulation would not be sufficient, according to a research conducted by the UK communications regulator OFCOM released in September 2006.
Local marketers and advertisers, including organisations and individuals, that are interested in participating in the policy task force can contact the MMP's William Bird on +27 (0)11 788 1278, cell +27 (0)82 887 1370 or email .
The MMP is a human rights-driven NGO, specialising in media monitoring with the goal of promoting the development of a free, fair, ethical and critical media culture in SA and the rest of the continent.
