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Original poster

URGENT: Help needed for radio interview this afternoon

29 replies

Rachel (mumsnet) · 15/11/2004 11:45

Hi there, Just had a call in from R5 Live and Carrie will be appearing on Simon Mayo's show this afternoon to discuss the new legislation possibly being brought in this week to curb junk food adverts up to 9pm. What are your thoughts on this. Is it a good idea? Does it make sense to ban advertising at this time when it's actually the parents who are going out and buying the food? what more could the government be doing to encourage more healthy eating in children? Also this issue should be being tackled not just by the government - so what more should be being done? (schools for example: are school dinners really getting healthier? Are children being educated about healthy eating at schools?

We'd be really grateful for you input - sorry it's such short notice but before 12.40 pm if you please! We're never given much notice on these things are we?

Thanks again in advance, and tune in to Carrie if you get a moment - 1pm on R5Live,

Rachel, Carrie and Justine

OP posts:
ponygirl · 15/11/2004 11:49

I think the watershed is probably a good idea. Would parents buy the stuff for their children if the children didn't ask for it (the pester power argument)? This is one of the reasons I don't let my children watch ITV/Ch4 (don't have any others ), because I can't stand the nagging for things I don't want them to have. Better education on feeding children would be good too: recipes for healthy, inexpensive meals. I get most of that info here! Good luck on the radio!

charliecat · 15/11/2004 11:50

Good idea, as my dds point out things they have saw on tv a lot more than they do things they havent.
My dds school dinners have healthy options, but the chips, nuggetts and beans get chosen more often...so maybe it would be a good idea to cut the unhealthy option altogether.

KatieMac · 15/11/2004 11:51

They get healthy eating at our school

Agree with watershed idea

Sorry short of time

Azure · 15/11/2004 11:53

I think it is an excellent move. The Sunday Times yesterday quoted that 70% of viewing by children aged 4-15 is between 6pm and 9pm, so I agree with the timing of the ban. I'm hoping that the threat of not being able to advertise will encourage manufacturers to drastically improve the quality of food being made. This is especially as the proposal covers not only junk food but many other foodstuffs with "hidden" high levels of salt, fat and sugar. I'm disappointed that the timetable for implementation is not until 2007.

grumpyfrumpy · 15/11/2004 11:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

logic · 15/11/2004 11:54

I am very much in favour of a junk food watershed of 9pm. It just makes life easier for parents because their children won't nag them for unhealthy foods.

soapbox · 15/11/2004 11:56

Yes - but I suspect the definition of junk is going to be a hard one.

I would include:
McDonald's burger king and the like
Any breakfast cereals with added sugar or aspartime
Any juices with aspartime
Biscuits, cakes, crisps and sweets,
Ready meals - anything processed at all - including chicken nuggets, fish fingers and potato products.

Now I bet you a pound to a penny that my list will not be identical to everyone elses

SO think that putting it into practice will be very difficult indeed!

unicorn · 15/11/2004 11:56

There was an interesting article in Sunday times (India knight?) re junk food.. ( advertising on packaging often makes the food look wholesome etc.for eg I never realised those nutrigrain biscuits were quite so bad.)

I think tv advertising is just 1 area in this big debate.
We parents also need to be educated and take on a more assertive role when shopping, ie, I for one will now look a great deal closer at the ingredients on the packaging.

Junk food can also start young... babyfood (with high sugar content)..it must be best to try and wean babies on stuff that you yourself have cooked up (nothing added...and cheaper!)

Hope the interview goes well.

handlemecarefully · 15/11/2004 12:09

And maybe that could push a voluntary code of practice to encourage supermarkets not to place sweets and chocolates by the checkout

handlemecarefully · 15/11/2004 12:10

and maybe they could etc (not that)

coppertop · 15/11/2004 12:16

I agree that there should be some kind of watershed and also that advertisers should stop trying to promote junk food as being healthy. They show little Johnny bouncing around after eating junk food, apparently full of life and energy. What they don't tell you is that little Johnny is actuallly hyper because he's full of E-numbers!

I'd like to see an end to using children's TV characters used to promote junk food.

Our local school is taking part in the free fruit and veg scheme for its children/ This not only encourages children to see that healthy food can be tasty but also stops pressure to send children into school with expensive snacks full of artificial sweeteners.

beachyhead · 15/11/2004 12:33

I agree - no cartoon endorsements for food (although hard as marketing is global thing) and no adverts for food specifically aimed at kids during childrens telly time ie 6am - 9am and 3pm to 8pm.

It won't happen though as big business versus mums is unlikely battle to win. Only way to do it is more education for parents and more selection at point of purchase....

katzguk · 15/11/2004 12:39

can they ban all ads that would be better!!

seriously though i think its a great idea although my DD is thankfully too young to be swayed by ads.

Arabica · 15/11/2004 12:42

DS (3.5) has NEVER once pestered me for junk food. I am sure it's no coincidence that (in no particular order of importance), firstly, he doesn't like watching TV, only videos (and therefore doesn't see any adverts); secondly, we never take him to the supermarket so he just doesn't see all the rubbish food with TV characters on it, so he doesn't know they exist (this isn't because we're anti-supermarket, I shop online as I don't drive) and thirdly - and perhaps most important - both DH and I don't like junk food so we don't buy it. Oh and also, fourthly, he is not yet at school/nursery so there's no peer pressure.

LIZS · 15/11/2004 12:47

I agree katzguk. Think there should be an advertising ban during hours when programmes are aimed at kids, including some of the satellite channels (although I'm sure they are maintained by the aforesaid advertising so would argue that they wouldn't then be viable), to include toys as well as food. Didn't there used to be the case between 3.30 and 4pm on ITV (my kids don't tend to watch ITV then so it may still be true).

Original poster
Rachel (mumsnet) · 15/11/2004 13:01

Wow that was quick! Thanks so much for your help. Think we're all in agreement here that yes, it's a good idea but other things need to be done in conjunction. If you get chance, listen to our Carrie at 1pm (although she says don't cos it makes her nervous!)

Cheers again,

Rachel

OP posts:
Original poster
Rachel (mumsnet) · 15/11/2004 13:17

Wow that was quick! Thanks so much for your help. Think we're all in agreement here that yes, it's a good idea but other things need to be done in conjunction. If you get chance, listen to our Carrie - it's on now (although she says don't cos it makes her nervous!)

Cheers again,

Rachel

OP posts:
carla · 15/11/2004 13:22

So who was that that just phoned in then? REVEAL yourself!

fairyfly · 15/11/2004 13:29

A voice to the lady and she just got told off for interupting

carla · 15/11/2004 13:32

God I wish that woman would shuddup and let someone else say something ....

fairyfly · 15/11/2004 13:36

Shes not backing up her argument very well either, im shouting at the radio
Just for the record my son doesn't think macdonalds is a toy shop and hes not allowed to go

carla · 15/11/2004 13:38

Email Simon FF!!!

fairyfly · 15/11/2004 13:41

Doing it now

nasa · 15/11/2004 13:43

good point from the nutrionist re: teenagers having the worst diets i.e. because harder to 'control' what they eat than younger kids. I live near a secondary school and the number of children I see eating mars bars etc on teh way to school

carla · 15/11/2004 13:50

FF, were you the perplexed person?

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