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How marketers impose junk food to children

According to the World Health Organization, the marketing of the harmful food has become an international issue, moreover, it's wrapped a children's audience by its tentacles. If an adult can understand that advertising tries to persuade him to choose a product, then the 4-5 years old child does not distinguish it from the truth. Advertising industry changes children nutrition habits with terrifying efficiency and, ultimately, leads to chronic diseases by the end of the school.

The Children's Product Marketing has acquired a really wide scale.

In most of the cases, the marketing is aimed at the sale of food, which consists of salt, sugar, trans fats and saturated animal fats. The WHO considers these components are the basic provocateurs of the obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and oncology.

Experts are fighting for tougher control over advertising for several years.

Back in 2010 there was "set of recommendations on foods and non-alcoholic beverages marketing to children", it was approved by the World Health Assembly. However, the situation in fact has not changed much.

Actually, advertising products and drinks for children is fully regulated only in six countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Spain and Slovenia.

Other countries in Europe have supported the idea, but do not take active measures. Many consumers are not even aware of the fact that these four components represent a threat to the child's body.

The promo techniques have become increasingly sophisticated.

For example, advertising broadcasts via satellite television to up their sales. This means that even if the marketing of unhealthy products is prohibited, the child still watches it - simply clicking on the remote control. For example, there is a 90% of TV advertising of harmful products in Bulgaria, which is focused on children; 50% - in Spain and Britain.

To attract more attention and to lay the image of the brand in the mind of the child, logos manufacturers place their brands on notebooks and other stationery.

"Children are surrounded by ads that encourage them to consume foods high in fat, sugar, salt, even if they are in places where they should be protected from it, such as schools and sports facilities," - says Director of WHO Regional Office for Europe Zsuzsanna Jakab .

The food industry does not stop at TV advertising and leaflets, it even goes further: impose their products through social networks and applications to smartphones. Many manufacturers popularize their brands via banners on the sites; introducing them to the application.

In Britain, for example, was conducted a study of the Internet audience. According to the results, in a few years - from 2007 to 2011 - there was more than 20% of children aged under 7 years old among regular Internet users.

Harmful products for children are positioned as an encouragement, a pleasant surprise that parents can do to the child if he will get good grades in school. Thus, a young unformed person has a misperception of products which are actually harmful.

This is particularly relevant issue for developing countries.

"The association of food, such as hamburgers with soft drinks, for example, involves psychology - says Regional Nutrition Adviser of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Ayoub El Dzhavaldeh. - We need a significant investment in health and nutrition for the protection of the new generation and change the culture among children and young people. National strategy on diet should be carried out by a special department of the Ministry of Health, which would have a real impact. "

What is happening in our country?

In Russia, there is no regulation of food marketing to children. Therefore, no one is immune to the negative effect of advertising. Really serious step, which would change the situation is all the food would be labeled. Manufacturers must indicate the content of potentially harmful ingredients: sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans fats of animals - because they are violating a metabolism when comes in excess in the child's body. If the package has the daily rate of food consumption, the parents will be able to choose food for their children consciously, knowing the unhealthy food can undermine their health.