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Northwestern MPH Student Co-Authors Publication on Food and Beverage Company Sponsorship of Children's Sports Clubs in Canada

Northwestern MPH student, Odera Ekeh​, BSc, and co-authors have published a new study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that examines food and beverage company sponsorship of children's sports clubs in Canada.

The study documented the frequency and nature of food company sponsorship of children's sports clubs in Ottawa, Canada. Using national data on sports participation, the five most popular sports among Canadian children aged 4-15 years were first selected for inclusion in the study and relevant sports clubs located in Ottawa (Canada) were then identified. Of the 67 sports clubs identified, 40% received some form of food company sponsorship and fast food restaurants and other restaurants accounted for 45% and 41% of food company sponsors, respectively. The study highlights that food company sponsorship of children's sports clubs is frequent with some promoting companies or brands associated with unhealthy foods and invites policymakers to consider restricting the sponsorship of children's sports clubs by food companies that largely sell or promote unhealthy foods.

Ms. Ekeh is a student in the MPH Global Health Concentration who will graduate in June. She is also a Research Assistant in the Center for Global Health Education in the Institute for Global Health.

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