Ministry restricts TV ads for junk food sold to kids

Also issues tough new rules on what can be sold at stores close to schools

Beginning in January 2010, television commercials for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods such as hamburgers and biscuits will be banned between 5 and 9 p.m., when many children tend to watch television, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs announced yesterday.

Sale of such foods will be prohibited in school cafeterias and stores inside schools beginning in March.

The ministry also said that large restaurant chains will need to provide nutrition information on the meals they offer.

And television commercials for such foods will be prohibited during children's programs regardless of when they air.

According to the World Health Organization, similar limits on TV ads and sales of such foods have been adopted in over 70 countries since 2004.

Restaurant chains with over 100 branches that cater to children must detail nutrition information on their meals, including the amount of calories, fat and sodium. And bakeries, such as Paris Baguette and Tous Les Jours and family and fast food restaurants including Pizza Hut, Mr. Pizza, McDonalds and Burger King, will have to provide nutrition information on their menus and Web sites.

"Consumers will be able to choose where to eat based on nutrition information and restaurant chains are expected to reduce content of saturated fat and sodium", said Kim Young-sun, a deputy director at the food policy department of the ministry. "After food producers were required to display the amount of trans fat, the amount of trans fat in foods declined sharply".

Sale of such foods will also be banned in so-called good sale stores located within 200 meters of schools. Stores can apply for the "good sale store" designation at district offices. With the designation, they can receive certain subsidies.

Under the ministry's definition, high-calorie, low-nutrition foods are ones that could cause childhood obesity and have a high content of saturated fat, sugar and sodium but a low content of protein.

Among snacks, those containing more than 200 calories and over 3 grams of saturated fat but less than 2 grams of protein will be banned. For meals, those containing over 500 calories, 3 grams of saturated fat and 600 milligrams of sodium will fit the ministry's definition.

By Limb Jae-un Staff Reporter/ Kim Eun-ha JoongAng Ilbo