Policies and Regulations to Reduce the Impact of Food Marketing Communication on Children Aged Below 16 Years

Abstract

This article aimed to study the policies and regulations to control food or beverage marketing communication affecting children aged below 16 years, which is group of high rate obesity. Marketing communication policy is the way to reduce the impact of food marketing on children. Children are more likely to be influenced by the food marketing because they cannot be able the think critically about the advertisements of marketing to which they are exposed. Consequently, children are often the target of food and beverages marketing communication and may be affected both health problems and long-term behavior. In Thailand, there are no regulations to protect children and youth from harmful impact by marketing communication. There is only an Act relating to consumer protection and restricting advertising. For the results of WHO evaluation shows that the marketing communication control policies in 59 countries havemade very little progress. In spite of the obesity epidemic, it is very common among children aged 12-16 years. And there is no government in any countries push policies that focus on teenagers. Policies or legal regulations should be based on the involvement of stakeholders such as Singapore, which is driven by public-private partnerships and the government, with the same goal of children well- being. Which make everyone aware of the importance of protecting children and sharing responsibility. Besides, the policy may not be so strict that one party feels lose. The policy must be consistent with the problem and always updated to keep up with changes in food marketing or life style and marketing strategies and also cover all types of marketing. This article is a systematic review related to government-controlled measures and policies for marketing communications in children from relevant literature between the years 2007-2017 at the world level and Thailand.