Paediatricians welcome South Australia’s junk food ads ban, call on others to follow suit
07 January 2025
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has welcomed the South Australian Government's decision to ban junk food advertisements on public transport and has called on other jurisdictions to follow its lead.
President of the RACP Paediatrics and Child Health Division, Professor Nitin Kapur, said the decision is a sensible and evidence-backed step to help reduce the rates of childhood obesity.
"Junk food advertising is a major driver of Australia's childhood obesity epidemic [1].
"Over 1 in 4 Australian children are now overweight or obese [2], with rates nearly doubling in recent years [1].
"Children are bombarded with junk food ads daily across physical and digital platforms. South Australia's ban is a crucial first step, but we need national action.
"This is a health emergency that demands immediate response from all jurisdictions.
"We urge all states and territories to implement similar bans in public spaces and call on the Federal Government to ban junk food advertising on television and online.
"These evidence-based measures are essential to protect our children's health and future," Professor Kapur said.
[1] HealthDirect – Obesity in children – Causes
[2] RACP – Switch off the Junk