Healthy Advertising Policies

Information Environment


Healthy Advertising Policies Project

Healthy Advertising Policies Project

NHIRI Investigators/Team: Dr Claire Pulker, Prof Gina Trapp, Dr Clare Whitton, Frith Klug, Jacinta Francis, Dr Alexia Bivoltsis

Collaborators: Ainslie Sartori, Emma Groves, Sue-Ellen Morphett

Funding: Healthway Grant 2024-2026

Summary:

Stage 5 of the Public Health Act 2016 (WA) came into effect in June 2024, and local governments are required to create local public health plans by June 2026 to support their communities to be healthy. Local governments can adopt food and nutrition policies to improve their food environments including for healthy food procurement, sports sponsorship, availability of healthy food in local stores. They can improve information environments by introducing policies protecting children from exposure to unhealthy food advertising. The community agrees that government leadership is needed for food and nutrition policies, to support healthy food selection.

Our research1 has identified that outdoor advertising near Perth schools constitutes a frequent source of children’s exposure to unhealthy food and beverage advertising. Historically, few Australian local governments have taken action to improve local population eating behaviours.  This project aims to identify what guidance and support local governments require to include healthy advertising policies in their public health plans.

Anticipated Translational Impact

Findings will support local government policymaking aiming to improve public health.

Contact the Food Environments Team at FET@ecu.edu.au

Partners:


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