The Irish Heart Foundation has called on the Government to match landmark restrictions introduced in the UK this week to tackle saturation levels of junk food marketing that are fuelling crisis rates of childhood obesity.

A blanket ban on all paid-for promotion of unhealthy food online, along with a 9pm watershed for TV advertising of such products, came into effect in the UK as part of measures to improve children’s diets and protect their long-term health.

“This is a crucial measure for children’s future health that stands in stark contrast to lax rules which offer little protection to children in Ireland,” said Irish Heart Foundation director of advocacy, Chris Macey.

“Children in the North will now have greater protection than their counterparts here from unscrupulous online targeting tactics by junk brands that we know are rampant. They result in overconsumption, which in turn causes high rates of overweight and obesity that are damaging children’s long-term health.”

The State’s own research estimates that over 85,000 of today’s children on the island – around one in every 20 – will die prematurely due to overweight and obesity; that children as young as eight are presenting with high blood pressure; and teenagers with a cardiovascular age as high as 60.

Mr Macey said despite this, rules in Ireland restricting TV advertising to children have been so thoroughly undermined that even four and five-year olds see over 1,000 junk food ads per year on average.

And there is no meaningful protection at all for children from online junk food marketing that is more personalised, pervasive and therefore potentially even more damaging.

“Research indicates that children are seeing an average of three junk food ads every 10 minutes they’re online – the equivalent of over 13,000 ads a year based on a conservative estimate of two hours a day spent on digital platforms.

“To put that into perspective, exposure to just over four minutes of unhealthy food advertising increases consumption by an average of 60.0 kcal. But consumption of an extra 48-71 calories a day depending on age is enough to generate weight gain in children over time.”

Mr Macey said many strong policy recommendations, most notably from the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs here had the potential to curb the impact of marketing on children’s food choices, but were not implemented. A recommendation in the 2020 Programme for Government to introduce a Public Health Obesity Act, including examining restrictions on promotion and advertising aimed at children, was also never acted on.

And just last month (December), the need for action was underlined again in policy options set out as part of the Online Health Taskforce submission to Government which included a ban on paid for and brand advertising online.

“The implementation paralysis of successive Governments, which have been well aware of the need for tough restrictions on junk food marketing has to end. The futures of tens of thousands of today’s children depend on it,” said Mr Macey.

“The UK regulations still allow brand ads and we know that infants as young as 18 months can recognise brands. They also don’t address influencer marketing which is playing a rapidly increasing role in junk food promotion. However, the new law is very much a step in the right direction and an essential part of action urgently needed here to protect the long-term health of our children.”