The South Australian government has announced that junk food adverts on public transport in Adelaide will be banned from 1 July this year.
The change will see Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams stripped of ads for high-sugar and high-fat products such as soft drinks, confectionery and chips.
Christine Morris, prevention and advocacy manager at Cancer Council SA, said the move would be a boon for children’s health.
“Our research shows that establishing the foundations of positive nutrition preferences in children is a big step in overall cancer prevention,” she said.
Preventive Health SA, in partnership with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, is leading the implementation of this policy which aims to reduce exposure to unhealthy food and drink marketing which is associated with a reduction in the purchase of these products.
Chris Picton, Minister for Health and Wellbeing, said the move was sensible given the health concerns attached.
“Each year, big brands spend millions of dollars on catchy slogans and appealing ads that encourage our children to consume more highly processed, unhealthy foods,” Picton explained.
“Banning these ads in some of the key places they are seen regularly – especially by children – is a sensible step towards a healthier South Australia.”
“The rising rates of obesity are concerning, which is why we have developed an evidence-based policy to restrict the advertising of unhealthy food and drinks on State Government buses and trams,” Picton said.
“This policy recognises that the cumulative exposure of unhealthy food and drink advertising influences a child’s food preferences and intake and the associated pester power children use to persuade parents.”
Preventative Health SA found that around 63.1 per cent of adults and 35.2 per cent of children across South Australia are currently overweight or obese.
Its modelling indicated that if no action is taken, the number of people overweight or obese is expected to grow by an additional 1,900 children and 48,000 adults over the next five years. It also found that without action children born in 2023 could see as much as a seven-month reduction in life expectancy because of obesity
Data from Cancer Council SA shows that almost 80 per cent of food and drink advertisements on South Australian buses promote unhealthy food and drinks.
The changes follow the implementation of similar policies in London, Amsterdam, and the Australian Capital Territory and the release of new statistics which show obesity has overtaken tobacco as the leading risk factor in preventable health conditions and hospital admissions.
