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Brussels (pte045/20.01.2005/15:30) - Food companies are to face legislation from the European Commission to force them to stop advertising junk food to children if they do not adopt self-regulatory measures. As the Media Guardian http://www.mediaguardian.co.uk reports, Markos Kyprianou, the European Union health and consumer affairs commissioner, has warned the food industry it must act to curb an increasing obesity crisis, particularly among young people.
According to Kyprianou, self-regulation by food companies is the quickest and most effective way to address the issue. However, the European Commission would be prepared to step in and legislate if companies did not make more of an effort to stop targeting children with adverts and marketing campaigns for young people, he said. "The signs from the industry are very encouraging, very positive. But if this doesn't produce satisfactory results, we will proceed to legislation," Kyprianou said. He added that part of the problem was that Europeans have considered obesity as an American problem. "We made fun of the Americans in a way. It is a European problem now."
The commissioner also wants the food industry to make labels clearer and to work alongside governments and health bodies to launch campaigns promoting healthy lifestyles. Kyprianou will bring the food industry together in March to agree new self-regulatory standards that he hopes will result in firm commitments by the end of 2005.
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