Battling bulging young waistlines, the New Zealand government has proposed a ban on junk food advertisements aimed at children, officials said yesterday.
The Health Ministry proposal, released for public discussion as part of a revamp of public health laws, includes controls on marketing potentially health-damaging goods.
It immediately drew an angry response from the fast food industry, which labeled it "simplistic" and its effects unproven.
Public Health Director Colin Tukuitonga said officials hope the proposal will encourage debate on how to regulate food advertising and access to unhealthy food and drinks.
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