142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

304941
Local strategies for reducing the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Kelly A. Dumke, MS , Division of Chronic Disease & Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Lauren Dunning, JD, MPH , Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Lauren Walter, MPH, CHES , Division of Chronic Disease & Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Sabrina Adler, JD , ChangeLab Solutions, Oakland, CA
Linda Aragon, MPH , Tobacco Control & Prevention Program, County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
BACKGROUND: Food marketing to young children is associated with an increase in children’s total energy intake; overconsumption of fast food, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweet and salty snacks; and under-consumption of fruits and vegetables.  The childhood obesity crisis has prompted exploration of government action to curb the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children.  Currently, the majority of food marketing regulation occurs at the federal level, and few local governments seek to parse their role in protecting young children. 

APPROACH: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health partnered with ChangeLab Solutions to prepare a comprehensive report on strategies that can be implemented by local communities to reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. Defining channels for action by communities and local governments lays the framework for change. To encourage community uptake and dialogue, the report encourages work at all levels of the socio-ecologic model, from the individual to the interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy levels. 

RESULTS: This presentation will describe the strategies proposed in the report, preliminary results of local surveys assessing community support for these strategies, and progress on policy implementation and best practices among communities in Los Angeles County.  

DISCUSSION: Local communities are aptly positioned to lead in assessing need and building momentum to change the food and beverage marketing environment at multiple levels and settings. This report enumerates potential policy strategies that are legally defensible and publically supported to shape the places where children live, learn, and play.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Explain the impact of food marketing on the health status of young children with an emphasis on the evidence-based associations between marketing to children and obesity. Demonstrate the effectiveness of local government leadership and community mobilization/engagement around policies to limit food marketing to children in the environments where children live. Identify actionable and legally feasible strategies to curb food marketing to children on a local level, and prompt action at all levels of the socio-ecologic model – individual, interpersonal, organization, community, and public policy levels.

Keyword(s): Policy/Policy Development, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the co-lead on a $41 million Los Angeles County-wide grant targeting obesity prevention among children ages 0-5 and their familes. I have a master's degree in nutrition, with a specialization in public health and nutrition communication. I have worked extensively with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on developing local strategies for reducing food marketing to children and mobilizing communities to act.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.