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03/18/2024 10:05:32 pm

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Taiwan Bans Junk Food Marketing To Kids

Taiwan Obesity

(Photo : Photo by Christopher Jue/Getty Images) Authorities in Taiwan are limiting the advertisement of junk foods during children shows to cut down the rate of obesity among children in the country.

Promoting junk foods in Taiwan is no longer allowed, the Food and Drug Administration said. 

The Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation says that snacks, candies, beverages, frozen treats, and fast-food with trans fat, saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar that exceed regulation standards will be covered. 

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Trans fat should not be more than 30 percent of the total daily calorie intake, saturated fat should not exceed 10 percent, sodium not more than 400mg per serving, and added sugar should not be more than 10 percent. 

Effective on January 1, advertisements on children's channels, including those that offer free toys, are prohibited to broadcast between 5 pm to 9 pm. 

"Advertising of food products considered unhealthy for children are allowed to be aired in time slots when children are less likely to be watching television or on other channels, such as news channels, less often watched by children alone," said FDA spokesperson Chih Lan-hui. 

Fast-food chain McDonald's has already changed in November last year. It replaced fires and soda with fruit or salad and juice or milk.

Food companies that will violate the Act will pay between NT$40,000 ($1,200) and NT$4 million ($120,000). 

A recent study on Taiwanese' obesity revealed that 27 percent of Taiwanese students are overweight. According to the Child Welfare League Foundation, children see an average of 8,000 junk food ads every year interrupting their cartoon shows every six minutes. 

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