Pediatricians call for more kids' ad restrictions
allow them to become critical of advertising, according to a new
policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Published in this month's issue of the AAP's journal Pediatrics, the statement outlines several recommendations to help mitigate the harmful effects of advertising on children.
According to the report, which claims that children are cognitively and psychologically defenseless against advertising, it is necessary to implement severe restrictions to adverts for junk food, cigarettes and alcohol that could be viewed by kids.
"Several European countries forbid or severely curtail advertising to children; in the United States, on the other hand, selling to children is simply 'business as usual'," said the AAP.
And with estimates that children are exposed to over 20,000 adverts per year for foods, especially sugared cereals and high-calorie snacks, the organization adds its voice to the mounting clamor of claims that such exposure is contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic.
However, industry bodies, such as the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Products Association, claim that advertising to children by food companies is "age and nutritionally appropriate and reflects a balanced approach to health and nutrition".
Currently, the nation's Children's Advertising Unit (CARU) lays out self-regulatory guidelines for all children's advertisers, including food and beverage companies. These guidelines were recently updated, broadening their jurisdiction and strengthening CARU's guidance to food advertisers in a number of areas. These include clarifying that children's food advertising should not depict over-consumption or discourage healthy lifestyle or healthy dietary choices.
And just two weeks ago, ten of the nation's leading food and beverage manufacturers launched the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. This voluntary self-regulation program would impose new requirements on product advertising to kids under 12, while increasing messages that promote good nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
But in its updated policy statement, the AAP says more needs to be done.
"Unlike free speech, commercial speech does not enjoy the same protections under the First Amendment of the Constitution. Advertisements can be restricted or even banned if there is a significant public health risk (…) ads for junk food could easily be restricted," it said.
"One solution that is noncontroversial and would be easy to implement is to educate children and teenagers about the effects of advertising - media literacy. Curricula have been developed that teach young people to become critical viewers of media in all of its forms, including advertising," it added.
"Media education seems to be protective in mitigating harmful effects of media, including the effects of cigarette, alcohol, and food advertising."
The AAP recommends that pediatricians work with schools and community groups to implement media education programs, as well as ban all forms of advertising in schools.
Other recommendations include asking Congress to limit commercial advertising of children's programming to no more than 5 to 6 minutes per hour, which would decrease the current amount by 50 percent.
Congress should also be petitioned to implement a ban on junk-food advertising during programming that is viewed predominantly by young children; to prohibit interactive advertising to children in digital TV; and to convene a national task force on advertising under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the Federal Trade Commission.
To view the policy statement, click here.
