In our latest podcast Senior Psychology Lecturer Dr Emma Boyland discusses the loopholes in TV regulations which mean children are being exposed to high numbers of junk food advertisements, with surprisingly powerful effects.
Dr Boyland discusses how ‘family programmes’ are increasingly watched by large numbers of children, but do not have the same safeguards for advertising in relation to food and drinks that are high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) as programmes watched only by children. These types of adverts would be banned from children’s TV under current UK regulations.
A new report, based on research conducted at the University, shows that almost six in ten food and drink adverts shown during ‘family programmes’ are for ‘junk food’ such as fast food, takeaways and confectionery. This research comes at a time where, in the UK, one in ten children is now obese.
The discussions and research on this subject have led to the Obesity Health Alliance to push the government for a 9pm watershed on junk food/HFSS advertisements in the UK, in an effort to reduce children’s exposure to junk food advertisements.
To find out more you can listen to the podcast by following the links below:
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Our podcasts are produced in collaboration with the University of Liverpool online programmes team, Hosted by Canadian journalist and producer Neil Morrison, we aim to bring listeners closer to some of our academic experts, authors and innovative thinkers who are affecting positive change in the world today.
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