Call to limit 'unhealthy' sponsors

Researchers and lobby groups are calling for controls on sports sponsorship linked to "unhealthy" products after a study revealed how common it is.

The Wellington medical school survey of selected sports websites shows that a third of the sponsorship on them was linked to "unhealthy" products.

The researchers, whose article was published in an international public health journal, defined unhealthy products as gambling, alcohol and foods high in fat or sugar.

The sports they looked at were those most popular with children and teenagers and they concluded that sponsorship of these codes was dominated by unhealthy products.

"Governments may need to consider regulations that limit unhealthy sponsorship," they wrote.

One of the authors, Anthony Maher, said yesterday possible solutions were following the tobacco path - tobacco sponsorship of New Zealand sport was banned by 1990 legislation - creating "blind" sponsorship funds for the gambling industry or extending sponsorship by health-promoting groups.

The study found significantly more alcohol-related sponsors for rugby compared with the other seven sports.

Unhealthy-food sponsorship was higher among touch rugby and junior teams and clubs than other sports and groups for older players.

The study says sports sponsorship is becoming a prominent marketing tool which is often more publicly acceptable than advertising because it is less direct and builds public goodwill.

It associates sponsors' products with healthy positive images, which is "particularly important for products that pose risks to health".

"The association of a healthy activity (ie sport) with such products obscures the health risk issue while at the same time promoting consumption."

At the start of this soccer season, junior soccer players were given a McDonald's drink bottle and a VIP card for free drinks when burgers were bought at the fast-food chain.

Obesity Action Coalition executive director Celia Murphy agreed with the call for restrictions. She said fast-food sponsorship of children's sport was repugnant "because it's trying to get on side with the community" but was in fact about selling products, and it worked.

Alcohol Healthwatch health promotion adviser Christine Rogan said the sponsorship linked to the "unhealthy" products enhanced their image, particularly in children's minds.

"It's time for them to move aside in favour of sponsors that don't have the burden of disease associated with them and that complement and enhance sport."

But Soccer NZ marketing manager Nick Thurston said McDonald's sponsorship - it was one of soccer's five key sponsors - was vital to the sport and without it, player fees would rise.

He said McDonald's sponsorship did not lead to an unhealthy diet.

"The VIP cards are only able to be used on Saturdays. All the other material is related to active participation in sport. In the relationship we have with McDonald's, they are encouraging kids to get active and play more sport. The products, the food available from McDonald's, is fine in moderation."

DB Breweries declined to comment.

Sport and Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard said sports groups were autonomous and the Government "does not intend to control what they can or cannot do", but he was concerned by the study. He wanted sports organisations to think about the implications of sponsorship deals and hoped to see more businesses not associated with alcohol and junk food sponsoring youth sport.


Cash for sports 

* A study found 398 different sponsors on 107 sports group websites.
* The sites covered rugby, cricket, touch rugby, netball, athletics, tennis, basketball and soccer groups from national to club level.
* 33 per cent of the sponsorships were linked to "unhealthy" products: gambling, alcohol or foods high in fat or sugar.
* 15.5 per cent were linked to "healthy" products such as smokefree messages, sports goods and health agencies.
* Among the leading "unhealthy" sponsors named in the study were gambling machine trusts, DB Breweries and the McDonald's fast-food chain.