Rise with SHAPE Asia campaign launched to curb unhealthy food marketing

 IDRC Programme Lead Greg Hallen launches Rise with SHAPE Asia campaign

• Experts from several countries share experiences on regulating unhealthy food marketing and improving food retail environments, to improve policies in Sri Lanka and other Asian nations

By Shannine Daniel

The Rise with SHAPE Asia campaign, a regional advocacy initiative by SHAPE Asia and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) of Sri Lanka, was launched recently in Colombo, with the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada.

The initiative aims to mobilise collective action, promote healthier food marketing practices and strengthen youth leadership and regional collaboration.

The launch also included a policy roundtable discussion on healthier food environments in Asia, where the policymakers, researchers and youth advocates shared regional lessons and discussed policy actions.

“Throughout Asia and across the world, non-communicable diseases and other diet-related health issues are the biggest health costs and they are increasing. There is considerable evidence that this is due to unhealthy food environments,” said IPS Director Research Dr. Nisha Arunatilake. 

During the discussion, experts from several countries shared lessons on regulating unhealthy food marketing and improving food retail environments. 

They shared these lessons in the hopes of enhancing policy engagement in Sri Lanka, strengthening regional dialogue and building momentum for coordinated action to protect public health by addressing unhealthy food marketing and retail practices across Asia. 

“We must address how food is promoted, positioned and normalised,” asserted Prof. Elaine Borazon from the National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan.

He added that SHAPE Asia seeks to go beyond research and create awareness through youth leaders, influencers and content creators, to transform unhealthy food environments into healthier ones.

“Evidence from the WHO and UNICEF shows that children and young people are the most heavily targeted audiences for unhealthy food marketing. Influencers and creative brand strategies can make unhealthy brands look attractive,” said Azka Fitri, a researcher from Indonesia’s Reconstra Utama Integra Research. 

SHAPE Asia is a regional collaborative network connecting stakeholders from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka, to promote evidence-based policy action for healthier food systems. 

The initiative supports research, advocacy and policy efforts to foster stronger food environments across the region. 

Its key goals include strengthening networks, generating region-specific knowledge, engaging in policy dialogue, building capacity and ultimately influencing policies to support healthier diets.