Toronto report calls for junk food ad ban for kids

Advertising food and beverages to children under 13 should be banned, according to Toronto’s medical officer of health.

In a report issued to Toronto’s board of health Tuesday, Dr. David McKeown, discusses children’s exposure to food and beverage marketing and its impact on their diets and health.

“There is strong evidence that children under eight years of age generally lack the cognitive abilities to objectively evaluate marketing messages. Food and beverage products developed for, and advertised to, children are dominated by those that are calorie dense and nutrient poor,” the report stated. While children older than eight have the ability to respond to advertising in a more sophisticated way, children as old as 12 often won’t use their critical evaluation skills unless they are prompted.

The report calls for the federal and provincial governments to legislate the ban, following in the footsteps of Quebec, which has banned all commercial advertising to children under 13.

Advertising to children is primarily regulated by the industry itself—regulations the report called inadequate.

“The fact that young children lack the cognitive ability to objectively evaluate advertising is not taken into account, except for a recommendation that advertisers not direct ads to children during the school-day morning hours,” wrote McKeown.

The report said marketers view children as prime consumers because of their “propensity to be risk takers, explorers, early adopters of new technology, and being eager to make a personal statement. Children lack preconceived notions about marketing, and in theory, are easier to win over than adults.”

Until effective legislation is in place, McKeown recommended that his office monitor practices and policies related to the commercial marketing of food and beverages to children. The medical officer of health will continue to work with school boards within Toronto and the Ontario Ministry of Education to enhance media literacy among parents and children.

The report also recommends the City of Toronto avoid commercial advertising of food and beverages to children under the age of 13 years in city-funded or operated services and venues.