Cancer Council NSW research reveals that almost 90 per cent of food and beverage sponsors of children’s sports development programs in Australia are classified as unhealthy.
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The study looked at 246 sponsors across 56 junior sport development programs to “highlight the extent that Australia’s sporting stars of the future are being targeted by unhealthy sponsors, including fast food, soft drinks and sugary cereal.”
All of the unhealthy food and beverage sponsors identified in Cancer Council NSW’s study had logo placements on the homepage of the junior development sport program they were sponsoring.
McDonald’s took podium position in kids’ sports sponsorship having been found at the time of the study to be sponsoring three separate junior sports programs across the country.
Juanita Nantes at Cancer Council NSW Northern Region says that with the majority of food and beverage company sponsors in kids’ sport development programs associated with unhealthy products, the sponsorship undermines the healthy lifestyle that the programs aim to promote.
“We know that children are a major target market for advertising, as they influence their parents’ spending, have their own money to spend and have the potential to become brand-loyal. The more children are engaged in a sport, sport team, or with an athlete, the greater the influence that junk food sponsorship will have on a child,” Ms Nantes said.
“Interviews of 10-14 year old children have found they think of food and drink companies that sponsor their club and favourite team as ‘cool’. They even said they’d like to return the favour to these sponsors by buying their products.
“Unfortunately, sporting organisations can be so reliant on corporate sponsorships that they feel like they have no other choice but to partner with big food brands.
“For the food companies, sponsoring kids’ sport is also a big PR win, by being seen to support local community and promoting physical activity.
“Sport settings offer an ideal opportunity to promote healthy behaviours, and I doubt the best athletes eat the junk foods that are associated with their sporting codes and events. Cancer Council wants sponsorship of children’s sport programs included in food marketing regulation to reduce the impact that unhealthy food marketing has on children.”
Cancer Council NSW is encouraging Australians to get behind the rejection of unhealthy sports development sponsorship by visiting www.cancercouncil.com.au/sports-sponsorship
