November 28, 2024 – 82% of Families Demand a Public Plan to Safeguard Children’s Health. A growing concern emerges from families increasingly worried about their children’s dependency on energy drinks, snacks, and ultra-processed foods—a true addiction posing significant risks to their development. Parents are raising alarms as traditional methods such as bans and coercive measures prove ineffective, while warnings from the medical and scientific communities grow louder. These findings are highlighted in the Coldiretti/Censis Report presented during the opening day of the International Forum on Agriculture and Food at Villa Miani in Rome, with proceedings available live on the website www.coldiretti.it.
Coldiretti has long championed this cause, promoting the Educazione alla Campagna Amica project in schools. In Veneto, the initiative is known as “Semi’nsegni” and has involved 20,000 students annually from all educational levels since 2003. The aim is to cultivate informed consumers who value the Mediterranean Diet and curb the consumption of so-called junk food, which threatens health and increases obesity rates, as unanimously noted by medical science. Laboratory-produced foods, increasingly entrenched in daily eating habits, pave the way for artificial food products.
The phenomenon of ultra-processed foods must be actively opposed – emphasizes Coldiretti Veneto –, by increasing food education hours in schools and launching awareness campaigns to inform the public about the dangers of regular and continuous consumption of ultra-processed foods, as advocated by Italian parents. A crucial step would be implementing clear labeling to identify products belonging to the ultra-processed category.
Additionally, the use of these products should be banned in school cafeterias and vending machines in public buildings, especially schools. Advertising targeted at children and adolescents must also be restricted, drawing inspiration from the United Kingdom’s ban on advertising during peak exposure hours for younger audiences.
Almost half of parents (48%) report that their children, when given the choice, opt for ultra-processed foods. Attempts to impose bansadopted by 37% of families – according to Coldiretti/Censis—on items like snacks, candies, soft drinks, and various junk food have proven largely ineffective, even in light of increasingly clear scientific evidence about their associated risks.
Given the failure of coercive policies, it is not surprising that over 80% of families believe it is crucial to launch a comprehensive campaign—spanning schools and online platforms—aimed at educating young people about healthy eating habits. Acknowledging the need for external support in achieving this goal underscores the importance they place on teaching sound nutritional education, viewing it as an essential responsibility.
