Marketing obesity? Junk food, advertising and kids

This paper examines the debate over the importance of foods high in fat, sugar and salt in childhood obesity. It also looks at policy approaches to junk food in a number of countries and consequent actions taken to control or prohibit the influence of advertising. In particular, the paper notes recent Australian government approaches to dealing with this issue. The paper concludes that, to date, the Australian response to this issue has emphasised the value of a self regulatory regime. However, this approach may be modified in the future, as a result of a number of factors. These include growing public demand for intervention and a shift in health policy more towards preventive health than has been emphasised in the past