Advertising and the Rise of Childhood Obesity
Today, there is tremendous amount of evidence that link advertising with the rise of childhood obesity in the United States. Many of those ads advertise junk foods and other unhealthy foods that prompt kids to buy them. About 30.3 percent of kids aged 6 to 11 are over weight, and 15.5 percent are obese. Children obesity rates have tripled in the last 40 years. Even some television characters, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, are thought to be used to manipulate children. According to the Institute of Medicine, children under the age of 12 are strongly influenced by the advertisement on TV due to the popular TV characters.
Advertisement also includes internet and video games. Kids ages 8 to 18 spend about 44.5 hours a week in front of a computer or game system. That is the longest activity they have in their life besides sleeping. The foods that are been advertised often are high in calories and provides no nutritional benefits. The food industry spends 10 billion dollars a year on ads to kids because their ads not only work, they work brilliantly.
Sources:
"Media Use And Obesity Among Children." Media Family. http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_tvandobchild.shtml
"TV ads contribute to child obesity." MSNBC. Updated: 6:09 p.m. CT Dec 6, 2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10346448/%20
Burros, Marian. "Report Links TV Ads and Childhood Obesity." NY Times. Published: December 6, 2005. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/06/business/media/06cnd-kids.html?ex=1291525200&en=c81a1eea871613b1&ei=5090
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Seven C., Christine B., Luke H.
Letter to the editor:
The Sheboygan Press
632 Center Ave.
P.O. Box 358
Sheboygan, WI 53081
Dear Editor,
In today's life your child comes home from school and usually the first thing they do is go and get some snacks then go and plop down in front of the television. Obviously when their children are doing this they are not getting any physical work outs in their schedule. Could this be a leading cause to obesity? Unfortunately this is happening way too much and isn't being controlled by you, parents.
There are quite a few easy solutions to help get rid of this problem. For one you could limit the time your children watch TV. This might help them to get outside and actually do something to get at least some what of a work out and have fun all at the same time. Another solution could be having a set time when you and your family eats, and make sure it's a nutritious dinner, not just all fattening things. Have fruits and vegetables available for them.
Parents, remember these are your children we are talking about. Help keep them safe by lowering their chances of becoming obese; it starts with you to make a change.
Sincerely,
Christine B.
Luke H.
Seven C.
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