Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health has developed new regulations aimed at combating intrusive advertising of unhealthy food. The proposed amendments will affect television, radio, outdoor advertising, and social media, where teenagers are particularly susceptible to influencer marketing, according to infohub.kz.
Specifically, the restrictions will apply to advertising of fast food, sugary drinks, and other products high in sugar, salt, and fat.
The goal of lawmakers is to reduce the impact on the dietary preferences of the younger generation and to instill healthy eating habits in children from an early age.
However, specific mechanisms for implementing healthy habits and details of the new regulations have not yet been disclosed. It is only known that all innovations are developed in line with international standards and recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to research, among children aged 6 to 9, about 23% are overweight, and 6% are obese. More than 17.5% of adolescents consume energy drinks weekly.
Earlier, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to address the issue of aggressive fast food advertising, noting that bad habits negatively affect youth health and increase the burden on the healthcare system.
It is worth noting that the country already has a ban on selling energy drinks to individuals under 21. Additionally, for a year now, schools have been implementing a new nutrition standard that reduces salt and increases the share of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products.