CANBERRA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Experts have called for a global statutory ban on the advertising of non-nutritious and junk food to children in order to tackle the world epidemic of obesity.

    Members of the International Association for the Study of Obesity used the International Congress on Obesity, which is being held in Sydney, Australia's largest city, to urge all nations to introduce laws which ban or limit junk food marketing to children.

    A draft set of principles to halt the obesity epidemic were released Tuesday at the congress, Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported.

    President of the Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity Boyd Swinburn says research now proves there is a link between advertising and childhood obesity.

    "This brings it right back to what I think is the nub of the issue, which is the protection of children," he was quoted as saying.

    "These regulations need to be statutory in nature, guarantee commercial-free childhood settings so this is schools, child care centers, childhood settings," he said.

    "It should include cross-border media, things like the Internet, cable TV, satellite etcetera," he said.

    The six-day congress opened Sunday with the attendance of more than 300 delegates from around the world. Enditem