Fizzy Drinks Ads Banned from All Kids' TV

Commercials for high-calorie and low-nutrition snacks and drinks will be banned on children's TV and YouTube. That includes cookies, ice cream, frozen pizza, instant noodles and fizzy, sugary drinks.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced the decision on Thursday. So far such commercials were only banned on TV between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the assumption that that is when children are most likely to watch, but now they are banned from all kids' programs regardless of the broadcast time.

"We overhauled the regulations to allow some ads on programs that air between 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. but are not likely to be watched by children," a ministry spokesman said.

Health authorities are also devising new guidelines so that YouTube channels will not advertise unhealthy snacks on videos watched by many children.

Under a related pilot scheme, low-sodium and low-sugar products will be displayed prominently in convenience stores near schools. Government-run centers set up to improve children's nutritional intake across the country will check the food kids get in school cafeterias to make sure they eat a balanced diet.