Friday 10 November 2017 12:06pm
Associate Professor Louise Signal, an EDOR member based at the University of Otago's Department of Public Health in Wellington, has found that New Zealand kids are visiting food outlets twice a day.
The findings were published in the international journal Social Science & Medicine and are part of the Kids' Cam Study, in which children aged 11-13 years used wearable camera for four days, capturing what they saw every seven seconds.
On average children visited food retail outlets twice a day, spending 14 per cent of all their non-school time there. Visits to food retail outlets occured as often as sporting and outdoor recreation venue visits combined.
Given that one third of NZ children are overweight or obese, implementing healthy zones around schools that prevent junk food and alcohol sales and marketing would be an important step forward, says Professor Signal. Recent positive changes include local retailers refusing to sell junk food to children in school uniform. However more needs to be done.
“Community action and government leadership is needed to create healthy environments for our children,” says Associate Professor Louise Signal.
Read more about this study
- Kiwi kids visit food outlets twice a day, Newshub, 10 November, 2017
- Study reveals Kiwi kids are visiting food outlets twice a day, TVNZ, 10 November, 2017
- Kids in Space Study: Where do our children go? University of Otago, 9 November, 2017
Further information
Kids' Cam reveals extent of kids junk food advertising exposure, 10 October, 2017
