Nutrition Profiling and Responsible Marketing to Children

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health concerns of today. This is being experienced globally and is steadily affecting many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. In the case of the Philippines, the country witnessed a rise in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Filipinos and adolescents (11-19 years) which almost doubled from 6.6% and 6.1% in 2008, respectively to 11.6%, for both age groups in 2018. Diet is considered a modifiable risk factor for non-communicable diseases.

As such, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office developed a nutrient profile model to restrict the marketing of foods to children. The National Nutrition Council commissioned the Department of Science and Technology –Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) to craft and execute a Philippine version of nutrient profiling of food to consider local realities and dietary recommendations. The model will serve as a tool in regulating the marketing of foods to children. While children's food preferences and choices can be attributed to many factors, marketing is deemed to play a key role as it "attracts children's attention, influences their food choices, and prompts them to request that their parents purchase products."

In this context, the ECCP, together with its Food & Beverage Committee, is organizing a session on Nutrition Profiling and Responsible Marketing to Children which will feature speakers from the FNRI to provide updates on nutrition profiling as well as regional and local industry players to weigh in on this important matter.