Target of unhealthy food

WELLINGTON: More than half the supermarket products aimed at children are unhealthy, obesity research reveals.

The Obesity Policy Coalition surveyed 186 packaged foods with cartoons or characters designed to attract children.

It found 52% were classified as unhealthy by Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

Ice creams, ice blocks and snack bars were the worst;. almost 90% were found to be unhealthy.

Among the unhealthy products were Kellogg’s Frosties, (41% sugar), and Kraft Cheestik Sticks, (17.5g of saturated fat per 100g).

One in three New Zealand children are obese or overweight.

Coalition executive manager Jane Martin was shocked so many manufacturers were directly targeting children with unhealthy food.

‘‘It’s extremely frustrating to see cartoons and animations being used to lure children and . . . push parents into buying unhealthy products for kids,’’ she said.

‘‘Children are naturally drawn to fun, colourful characters on foods . . . and food companies are fully aware of this.’’

Kellogg’s spokesman Derek Lau said the research insinuated parents had less influence on their children than a cartoon ‘‘which is hugely discrediting to what parents decide to choose or don’t choose for their kids’’. — NZME