Many of us remember watching children’s TV as youngsters and eagerly awaiting the advert breaks. Images of toys we wanted, or foods we desired, flashed up on the screen to our delight. These junk food adverts were a lot of fun, but were they good for us? Experts believe not. For years, many have been claiming that junk food advertising is responsible for high childhood obesity levels. Now, new research backs their claims up.

An extensive study carried out by researchers from University College London examined the impact of junk food advertising on childhood obesity right across the world – from Australia and the US, to Europe. They reached the conclusion that in Europe junk food adverts could be responsible for up to 18% of obesity cases among children. In the US the effect was even greater. There the researchers say that junk food advertising could contribute to 40% of childhood obesity cases.

Restricting junk food ads Campaigners argue that the logical step for governments to take upon viewing these figures would be to impose tighter restrictions on junk food adverts. Some boundaries are already in place. In the UK the Children’s Food Bill now prevents companies from advertising between children’s programmes.

However, there have been calls for this law to be extended, to stop companies from advertising before the 9pm watershed. Campaigners are concerned that children watching slightly more adult programmes, especially young teenagers, may still be influenced by fast food adverts that they see before this time. In the US some legal restrictions have been imposed on junk food adverts. For example, a KFC advert was banned by a government watchdog commission for claiming that “fried chicken can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.”

The next step Debate will continue about the steps that countries should take to reduce childhood obesity levels. In many parts of the world, childhood obesity levels mirror the levels found among adults. Alarmingly, evidence earlier this year suggested that the childhood obesity ‘tipping point’ – the stage at which children’s bodies could set themselves up for years of weight problems – could be just two years old.