The processed food industry is making their junk our problem and Bendigo Community Health Services is taking a stand.
We’ve joined the Cancer Council Victoria’s Food Fight campaign which is calling on the Victorian Government to give our kids a healthier future by removing unhealthy food and drink advertising from public transport and near schools.
With no formal standards to protect children from junk food advertising in Australia, BCHS CEO Mandy Hutchinson said the targeting of young people by the junk food industry has to stop.
“Children and young people deserve to grow up in a community that supports their health and wellbeing,” she said. “We receive Department of Health funding to develop and implement prevention and health promotion initiatives, with 70% of our work focused on increasing healthy eating, increasing active living, reducing tobacco and e-cigarette related harm, so this is a fight worth having.”
Senior Leader of Integrated Health Promotion officer Natalia Smith agreed.
“We are currently funding two promotions on local buses that encourage people to ‘Take the First Step’ to healthy eating and active living,” she explained. “Unfortunately, one of these buses features our healthy eating message along one full side with a McDonald’s ad on the back window. This is so disappointing and counter-active to our efforts.”
So far, more than 13,500 people have signed up for the Food Fight campaign, which is specifically calling on the Victorian Government to remove unhealthy food and drink advertising from:
• Public transport (such as buses, trains and trams)
• Public transport infrastructure (such as stations, platforms, stops and shelters)
• Within 500m of schools.
Cancer Council Victoria research shows that kids are being bombarded with at least 25 unhealthy food ads every single day with one in four Victorian kids currently above a healthy weight, putting them at risk of developing serious diseases, such as cancer, later in life. The research also shows that parents want better for their kids, with 66% saying they want unhealthy food and drink ads removed from public transport and even more wanting them banned from being near schools.
“Change can only come about if we stand together, raise our voices and ask for what we want, that’s what we’re doing as part of the Food Fight campaign,” Mandy said.
Would you like to join the Food Fight too? Visit Food Fight! – Cancer Council Victoria to sign up.
