Health food advertisements violate regulations and improve cardiovascular health first

Illegal food advertisements are everywhere. The survey pointed out that from January to July this year, the New Taipei City Health Bureau investigated and handled a total of 441 cases of illegal health food advertisements. Among them, the Internet and shopping TV platforms were the largest, and the two together accounted for nearly 90%; among the illegal product advertisements, the most were of the "improvement of cardiovascular disease" type, and for the first time surpassed the previous "slimming and weight loss" illegal advertisements and ranked first.

Illegal food advertisements are everywhere in the country. People should keep their eyes open and be careful not to be harmed.

Lin Guanzhen, chief of the Food and Drug Administration Division of the New Taipei City Health Bureau, pointed out that among the cases of illegal food advertising investigated from January to July this year, online shopping accounted for 270 cases and TV shopping accounted for 107 cases, accounting for 61% and 24% respectively. This shows that the increase in stay-at-home consumption has also pushed up the proportion of illegal advertising.

Internet and TV have the most illegal ads

Next were radio ads with 34 pieces and print ads with 30 pieces, accounting for 8% and 7% respectively. Most of them, accounting for 95%, violated Article 28 of the Food Sanitation Management Act, making false, exaggerated and misleading advertisements, and may be fined between NT$40,000 and NT$200,000.

Analyzing the products of the violation cases, this year there were 103 advertisements for improving cardiovascular diseases, accounting for 23%, the largest number. This was the first time that it exceeded the 83 weight loss advertisements (19%), and was much higher than the 55 longevity advertisements (12%) and 49 immune regulation advertisements (11%). The number of cases where manufacturers use the threat of cardiovascular disease being the second among the top 10 causes of death in Taiwan to mislead the public that their products have the ability to improve physiological functions or medical effects has increased compared to last year.

Department of Health Section Chief Lin Guanzhen (pictured) pointed out that illegal food advertisements on shopping websites are quite serious. (Photo courtesy of New Taipei City Health Bureau)

Exaggerating the efficacy of prolonging life will be punished

It is worth noting that the advertising term "prolong life" was originally allowed, but the Ministry of Health and Welfare revised and announced the "Criteria for Identifying Exaggerated or Misleading Medical Effectiveness in Food Labeling or Advertising" on September 28 last year, and deleted the terms "prolong life, eternal youth, source of youth, smooth urination, and reduce fatigue". The Health Bureau calls on businesses to pay more attention to avoid accidentally breaking the law.

In addition, it is not allowed to claim to prevent, improve, alleviate, or treat diseases or physiological conditions, such as strengthening sexual function, improving allergic constitution, curing insomnia, curing myopia, lowering blood pressure, etc. Other claims such as lowering liver fat, detoxifying the liver, reducing swelling and relieving pain, relieving asthma, and eliminating arrhythmia are also not allowed. Advertisements involving the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines, such as tonifying the kidney, strengthening the spleen, nourishing the liver, benefiting the stomach, clearing heart fire, and moistening the lungs, etc., are also considered illegal food advertisements.

Health food is actually ordinary food that can only be used as a nutritional supplement.

Health food is just regular food

The Department of Health reminds the public that what market operators refer to as health foods are actually ordinary foods that can only be used as nutritional supplements and are different from "health foods" that have passed review. Furthermore, the advertising content of approved health foods must not exceed the permitted scope.

For example, advertisements for health foods that can lower cholesterol should still not show how cholesterol levels are reduced from a certain number of units to a certain number of units after consumption. Otherwise, the offender may be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000 in accordance with Article 14 of the Health Food Management Act and Article 24 of the same Act.

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