Junk food ads still affecting kids, should be banned: AMA

Australia's peak medical body has called for a ban on junk food ads on TV after a study revealed that self regulation by fast food companies was not working.

Two years after Australia's major fast-food chains promised to stop advertising to children, the study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, found that kids are still being exposed to the same number of junk food ads.

Seven fast-food chains including McDonald's, Pizza Hut and KFC had signed a voluntary code, which set new nutrition standards for foods aimed at under-14s in 2009.

According to the study, fast-food ads, including those for healthy and unhealthy meals, rose to 1.5 an hour from 1.1. Ads for alternative healthy foods also rose to 0.3 an hour from zero ads per hour.

However, ads for junk food stayed the same at 1 an hour overall and 1.3 during peak viewing times for children.

Based on the findings, The Australian Medical Association (AMA) on Monday called on the federal government to introduce new rules for the fast-food industry as voluntary marketing code had failed to reign in the ads.