Cancer Council WA study reveals unhealthy advertisements targetting children in lower-socio economic status schools

An audit on fast food and sugary drink advertising around WA student transport hubs has revealed children in lower-socio economic status schools face a higher volume of unhealthy advertisements. On the first day of the term, the Cancer Council WA study examined buses and train stations linking students to five Perth schools and recorded 90 ads between 8am and 9am. Of the ads, 17 per cent were deemed as healthy, six per cent were classified as mixed and a whopping 77 per cent were classified as unhealthy. A report by the council’s WA research unit,released exclusively to The West Australian, revealed children were exposed to a high proportion of unhealthy food and drinks ads if they attended schools with “relatively higher levels of socio-educational disadvantage”. Namely, the buses stopping at Kent Street Senior High School and John Forrest Secondary College displayed a greater number of unhealthy food ads than those stopping at Bob Hawke College, Shenton College and Churchlands Senior High School. According to the report there were 55 ads on just buses within the hour, of which 11 per cent were for healthy foods, 18 per cent were for unhealthy foods, five per cent were mixed and 65 per cent were for non-food products. The council’s obesity prevention manager Kelly Kennington said WA student’s were bombarded by unhealthy ads on public transport while on their way to school every day and called on the State and local governments to introduce regulations on their assets. “The study shows that kids are exposed to a massive volume of junk food advertising on their way to school, and given we know teenagers are the biggest consumers of junk food and sugary drinks, clearly this advertising is working,” she said. He said daily ads had the potential to alter children’s nutrition knowledge, preferences, purchase behaviour, consumption patterns and diet-related health. In WA, there are currently no regulations restricting advertising of unhealthy food around schools. “Restrictions on junk food advertising on all state and local government assets would reduce exposure of unhealthy food advertising to young people and bring WA in line with other Australian jurisdictions that have reduced children’s and young people’s exposure to unhealthy food advertising,” a report released by the council declared. “Collectively, the independent risk factors of overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, and inadequate diet are second only to tobacco as modifiable risk factors for cancer. “Imposing a ban on unhealthy food advertising on government assets, particularly those positioned in areas where children gather would allow Western Australia to lead the way in reducing children’s exposure to a well-established risk factor for overweight and obesity.” Fast food companies, including KFC and McDonald's, were named among those advertising unhealthy food on buses and in train stations. Both KFC and McDonald's have been contacted for comment on the reports findings. The council’s push comes as WA grapples with alarming obesity rates, with just over one-quarter or 26.3 per cent of children overweight or obese. While concern has grown each year, it skyrocketed between 2016 and 2017 when the number of children categorised as obese rose by 4.5 per cent. Nearly 70 per cent of adults are overweight or obese.