2009/12/21

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry will control the promotion and marketing of fast food services in the country to educate the people of healthy diets, the Dewan Negara heard today.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said among steps taken was to tighten the control on promotion and advertisement of fast food on TV stations and increasing programmes involving healthy diets on radio, TV, newspapers and magazines.

Liow added that the ministry would also introduce policies and guidelines to help control the marketing, promotion and availability of such fast food services in the country.

"Promotion of fast food during programmes aired on TV for children will also be controlled and such advertisement will be required to display the ingredients and nutritional values of such food," he said.

To a question by Senator Muhamad Yusof Husin who wanted to know if the ministry conducted tests to study the dangers posed by fast food, Liow said the ministry always monitored food that entered the country.

"We have always reminded the people on the importance of a balanced diet because any food that is consumed in excess would be harmful to health," he said. -- BERNAMA

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20091221132900/Article/index_html