@TheParentsJury Fame and Shame Awards

Corrina Langelaan, Campaign Manager for The Parents’ Jury contacted me to help her get more parents from WA involved in her Fame and Shame Awards – a campaign to help put a stop to the marketing of unhealthy food to children. Corrina was so kind as to set aside her press release and write the following specifically for SuperParents. Please promote and retweet her campaign, and visit the link to the Parents’ Jury at the bottom of this post. While I've welcomed her once before to SuperParents, please help me now welcome Corrina Langelaan to The Associate Woman.

Stop Marketing Unhealthy Food to Children

It’s a sad fact that childhood obesity in Australia is on the rise, with one-quarter of children considered to be overweight or obese. And while it is generally agreed that parents are key in making sure their children live a healthy lifestyle, there is a battle we know you face every day.

Unhealthy food marketing to children.

It is an issue. Food manufacturers spend billions on marketing through television, social media, direct marketing and branding – all to reach your child. And regardless of how many times you say no, it’s hard to fight all the insidious ways these companies spend their money. Have you felt pressured into buying branded chocolate because it has come through the school fundraising campaign or watched your children come home from a sporting event clutching a voucher for fast food or a food sample you haven’t purchased? If so, we invite you to come and have your say.

We are The Parents' Jury, a web-based forum of 5,000 parents, grandparents and carers who want to see change in the nutrition and physical activity environments of Australian children. We advocate for healthier schools, healthy checkouts, active and friendly communities and a reduction in the level of food marketing to children.

Each year, we run The Fame and Shame Awards, which gives parents the opportunity to have their say – for or against – various strategies used by food manufacturers and marketers to promote their products to children.

There are four award categories and over the next few months, nominations will take place for each award. Pester Power for the food marketing campaign that causes your child to nag the most, Smoke and Mirrors for the use of health claims on children’s food which make it appear healthier than it is.

The positive Parents' Choice category highlights campaigns which promote healthy eating to kids and sadly, and we’ve chosen to re-introduce the Bad Sport award, which goes to a sports association, team or athlete that promotes unhealthy food and drinks to children.

Voting will take place in October.

Research released by The Obesity Policy Coalition suggests 84% of consumers believe children should be protected from unhealthy food advertising. We agree! The Parents Jury gives parents the chance to have their say on this issue and expose those companies who continue to market junk food to kids.

Join us and use your voice. It’s free, just go to www.parentsjury.org.au and your vote will be counted!

Links

• The Parents' Jury Fame and Shame Awards 2011 Results
• Golden Rules to Achieving Balance
• Mid Life Delight
• Rethink Breast Cancer with Your Man Reminder

-- 
The Associate Woman | The WA 6000 Daily | The Anti-Bully Paper | SuperParents on FB 
To receive updates on all SuperParents events go to subscribe.SuperParents.com.au