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Center for Digital Democracy Berkeley Media Studies Group 1718 Connecticut Ave. NW 2140 Shattuck Ave. Suite 200 Suite 804 Washington, DC 20009 Berkeley, CA 94704 202 986 2220 510 204 9700 democraticmedia.org bmsg.org
Statement from The Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments*
Contact: Leslie Mikkelsen, MPH, RD
265 29th Street Oakland, CA 94611
Phone: 510.444.7738
Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.eatbettermovemore.org
In January 2007, the Strategic Alliance, a coalition of nutrition and physical activity advocates, called on the food industry to make meaningful changes to support people in making nutritious food choices (see “Setting the Bar: Recommendations for Food and Beverage Industry Action” at www.eatbettermovemore.org). Now we read, in Berkeley Media Studies Group and the Center for Digital Democracy’s new report, “Interactive Food & Beverage Marketing: Targeting Children and Youth in the Digital Age,” that the situation is worse than we realized. Food companies are using widespread, highly targeted digital marketing for unhealthy foods that bypass adults and reach directly into children’s lives. Parents’ efforts to provide healthy food for their children should not be undermined by stealth tactics that promote junk food. We renew our call on industry to eliminate product placements and stealth advertising for unhealthy foods aimed at children through text messaging, television, movies, websites, advergames, viral marketing, and other emerging technologies.
*The Strategic Alliance is a coalition of nutrition and physical activity advocates which serves as an independent voice that is separate from, but able to influence, government and industry. Steering committee members include: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy, California Food Policy Advocates, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Park & Recreation Society, California Project LEAN, California WIC Association, Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Partnership for the Public's Health, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates, and YMCA of the East Bay.
