Food Ads Influence Kids
By Andrew E, Sara F, and Mike G
As children in America watch their favorite television shows, hundreds of companies are trying to make them into the youngest consumers of their products. For all age groups of children food is the number one item advertised acording to a summary of a Kaiser Family Foundation study. It has also been proven, according to Ellen Wartella who is quoted in Report Links TV Ads and Childhood Obesity that "food advertising, primarily on television, influences the diets, preferences and requests of children under 12." And most of that food isn't very healthy. The foods advertised to children are mostly high in calories and low in nutrients, with the majority of foods being candy or snacks. Depending on age, children and teens can see anywhere from 12-21 advertisements for food a day on television. That's between 4,000-7,000 ads for food seen each year. During a children's show, about half the commercials are for food being advertised to young kids.
Today, advertising to children has gone far beyond commercials on television. Video games and movies that contain brand name foods, as well as marketing to schools has increased the number of advertisements children and teens see. Cartoon characters are also being used increasingly to endorse food ads in an effort to make children want to buy products.
In the last 40 years, obesity rates have nearly tripled in children and teens, and according to Report: TV ads contribute to child obesity that's mostly because of the amount of unhealthy food advertised on television. Although food companies insist kids need to exercise to stay fit, researchers are pushing for food companies to take unhealthy foods off children's advertising, and if that doesn't work the Institute of Medicine panel says, "Congress should mandate it."
Sources:
Letter to the Editor
220 Amherst Ave
Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085
29 May 2007
Letters to the Editor
Sheboygan Press
632 Center Ave.
P.O. Box 358
Sheboygan, WI 53081
Editor:
Obesity in children is a rising trend and new studies show it is connected with the advertisements they watch on television. Studies indicate that children under the age of twelve are greatly influenced by the ads they see on television. We are high school students who are concerned about this problem. Children in this community are watching commercials everyday for junk food and candy.
Teach your children about advertising. Make sure they know commercials are only trying to sell a product. Commercials use special effects, to make the product seem exciting or fun. Monitor the ads your kids see daily and alert them to ads that sell unhealthy food.
Children watch an average of 21 commercials for unhealthy food a day. So limit the amount of TV your children watch. A few hours is fine but then have them do something else like go outside or play a game.
Exercise and physical activity are important for people of any age but especially children. You don’t have to get your children a membership at the gym, just encourage them to spend time outdoors everyday.
The health of our community’s children is important.
Sincerely,
Sara
Mike
Andrew
1st hour
Comments (1)
ms hogue said
at 9:13 am on May 31, 2007
You've done a really nice job here. For listing your sources at the bottom, take the numbers off and put them in alphabetical order.Ms Hogue
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