Hidden digital ads pushing children to eat fatty food, health experts warn

Children in Europe are bombardedwith hidden digital advertising and marketing promoting fatty,sugary and salty foods that is damaging their health and addingto the region's obesity problem, World Health Organizationexperts said on Friday.

The researchers called for policymakers to do more to protect children from junk food advertising messages onnetworking sites, games known as " advergames" and othersocial media.

"Our governments have given the prevention of childhoodobesity the highest political priority, [yet]we consistentlyfind that children our most vulnerable group are exposed tocountless numbers of hidden digital marketing techniquespromoting foods high in fat, sugar and salt," saidZsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO's regional director for Europe.

She said in the absence of effective regulation of digitalmedia in many countries, children are increasingly exposed topersuasive, individually tailored marketing techniques thatparents may underestimate, or be unaware of.

"Often, parents do not see the same advertisements, nor dothey observe the online activities of their children; many therefore underestimate the scale of the problem," said the WHO.

About two-thirds of children who are overweight beforepuberty will be overweight in early adulthood, and an estimated25 per cent of school-aged children in Europe are alreadyoverweight or obese, said the report.

Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese intoadulthood and more likely to develop chronic illnesses such asdiabetes and heart disease and cancer at a younger age.

Gauden Galea, a WHO Europe expert on chronic disease andhealth promotion, said allowing advertisers and the foodindustry to target children like this could have "huge healthand economic consequences."

The WHO Europe report said that since there is littleeffective regulation or control over of digital marketing,children are often exposed to powerful and targeted onlinemarketing via digital platforms that collect personal data.

Digital marketing can engage children in emotional,entertaining experiences and encourage them to share theseexperiences with their friends, it said, describing this as "adubious cocktail when used to promote unhealthy foods."