WHO DG calls for food marketing restrictions

"If you want to know the future consequences of markets saturated with unhealthy foods and beverages, read the report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity", said WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, in her opening speech at the 69th World Health Assembly (WHA) that took place in May. Mandated in 2014 and released in January, the ECHO report calls on governments to reduce the exposure of children and adolescents to the marketing of unhealthy foods.

The Director-General warned that the marketing of 'unhealthy' foods and beverages, especially to children, is now a "global phenomenon". Referring to man-made, "slow motion" disasters such as chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), she added that the main cause of these are policies that place the economic interests above concerns about people's well-being.

The call for further food marketing restrictions was endorsed by delegates of the 194 WHO member states, who adopted a resolution urging governments, health professionals and the private sector to implement the package of 36 recommendations outlined in the ECHO report.

Delegates strongly supported the recommendations on adopting cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approaches to address the issue of increasing obesity levels. Many of them called upon other governments to reduce the exposure of children and adolescents to the marketing of unhealthy drinks and beverages, through regulations and media monitoring.

In a statement on the WHA decision on the report, IFBA and WFA members reiterated their commitment to play an active role in the development of interventions for the prevention of childhood obesity. IFBA and WFA members said they will work together with WHO and Member States as they turn to developing an implementation plan and evaluation framework.