The media should be more cautious while marketing and advertising for children.

This is the call from the Chief Health and Sanitation unit at the UNICEF Pacific Doctor Eliab Some at the Fiji Food Summit at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, who stressed the need for media and advertising agencies to ensure responsible and safe marketing for children.

Dr Some revealed that advertising directed at children annually is over $15 billion and in 1983, marketers scaled up efforts to reach children by $100 million spending on television advertising to kids and likewise in 2009 roughly 150 times.

He said advertising on unhealthy foods affect the eating habits and living styles of our children which cause them to become obese and become vulnerable to diseases like heart diseases and NCD's from a young age.

Dr Some stressed the need to put bans of advertising unhealthy foods and at the same time establish appropriate regulations to guide marketing of foods to children.