On 18 July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will hold a public forum “Weighing In: A Check-Up on Marketing, Self-Regulation, and Childhood Obesity” in Washington D.C. to review progress on implementing self-regulatory and educational initiatives to combat childhood obesity.

 

Representatives from the food industry, media, and self-regulation will report on progress implementing initiatives that respond to the recommendations issued by the FTC in 2006. The forum also will provide an opportunity for consumer groups, advertising specialists, and “key experts” to review the progress of actions undertaken to date, and to consider what steps should be taken next. Other speakers will discuss public education efforts addressing healthy eating and physical activity and will present new research on the amount and types of advertising children see on television.

 

The meeting agenda includes the following presentations:

- Self-Regulatory Initiatives to showcase initiatives that aim to create positive changes in how food is marketed and made available to children.

- Food Company Initiatives to showcase one food company’s efforts to address childhood obesity.

- Media/Entertainment Company Initiatives to highlight the efforts of one media/entertainment company to address childhood obesity.

- Public Education to provide an overview of recent public outreach efforts addressing childhood obesity.

- New Research on Food Marketing to Children to review recent studies examining the marketing of food products to children on television.

- Scoring the Progress Since Summer 2005 where a panel of stakeholders from consumer groups, industry, and other key experts will present brief remarks addressing progress that has been achieved since 2005 and additional steps that should be taken.

Source: Advertising Education Forum

 

WFA will follow developments related to the Forum via its US National Advertiser Association and feed back relevant information to members.