title: An analysis of potential barriers and enablers to regulating the television marketing of unhealthy foods to children at the state government level in Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Australia there have been many calls for government action to halt the effects of unhealthy food marketing on children's health, yet implementation has not occurred. The attitudes of those involved in the policy-making process towards regulatory intervention governing unhealthy food marketing are not well understood. The objective of this research was to understand the perceptions of senior representatives from Australian state and territory governments, statutory authorities and non-government organisations regarding the feasibility of state-level government regulation of television marketing of unhealthy food to children in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from in-depth semi-structured interviews with senior representatives from state and territory government departments, statutory authorities and non-government organisations (n=22) were analysed to determine participants' views about regulation of television marketing of unhealthy food to children at the state government level. Data were analysed using content and thematic analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regulation of television marketing of unhealthy food to children was supported as a strategy for obesity prevention. Barriers to implementing regulation at the state level were: the perception that regulation of television advertising is a Commonwealth, not state/territory, responsibility; the power of the food industry and; the need for clear evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of regulation. Evidence of community support for regulation was also cited as an important factor in determining feasibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The regulation of unhealthy food marketing to children is perceived to be a feasible strategy for obesity prevention however barriers to implementation at the state level exist. Those involved in state-level policy making generally indicated a preference for Commonwealth-led regulation. This research suggests that implementation of regulation of the television marketing of unhealthy food to children should ideally occur under the direction of the Commonwealth government. However, given that regulation is technically feasible at the state level, in the absence of Commonwealth action, states/territories could act independently. The relevance of our findings is likely to extend beyond Australia as unhealthy food marketing to children is a global issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, BakerIDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shill
authors.forename: Boyd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Swinburn
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mavoa
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Bebe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loff
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crammond
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sacks
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allender
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peeters
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005502:Food; D033161:Government Regulation; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D011050:Policy Making; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013219:State Government; D013690:Television