EC Nutrition

Those who argue for a radical approach towards child fitness and health realise that the picture must be widened to encompass and address the issue of nutrition within the context of physical activity. It is accurate to state this approach has not historically been auspi- cious. The 2016 European Football Competition illustrated the power that the food and drink industry has capacity to unleash, by means of sponsoring high profile events. For hour after hour, football enthusiasts in the continent’s population, including children, were sub- jected to on-screen and around pitch advertisements, no doubt acting as potential prompts to consume fast food and sugary drinks. At the 2012 London Olympics, the International Olympics Committee was roundly criticised for junk food sponsorship and The Children’s Food Campaign christened the event ‘The Obesity Games’ (Children’s Food Campaign, 2012 ‘The Obesity Games’ – junk food sponsorship of the Olympic Games).