Obesity Among Children Today

 

By Kody & Sara

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The two links between children and obesity in America today is a highly discussed topic and research of the two has been a main goal of many people. Parents or advertising: which one is to blame for these obese children in our society? There are many studies on obese children and what is the main cause for this.

 

 

Today’s advertising world is full of manipulative ways to sell their product. Companies use cartoon characters and movie stars to influence the superiority of their product compared to others. Whether this is just an advertising strategy or it’s something of a bigger scheme. Cartoon characters (along with movie stars) can be used to model their product and make it seem to younger people to as if they will become like the character being advertised. Instead of pouring money into junk foods such as fruit snacks, cereals, and chips, why shouldn’t companies be influenced to advertise healthier foods like fruits and vegetables? It is a never ending battle between corporation and consumer.

 

 

However, this brings up a point, should the parents be held responsible for buying into the kid’s deceptive “begging” and end up buying the food? Are the advertiser’s solely to blame for obesity, or are there other problems that can conflict with advertising to children? Parents can’t constantly observe what their children eat but after all, they buy most of the food. Is it hypocrisy for parent’s criticizing and blaming advertising for their child’s obesity when they truly are to blame?

 

 

Advertising and parents tend to just feed off of each other. Advertisers sell their product to kids and then parents buy the food for their children. There are many solutions possible for parents to ensure that their kids are receiving a healthy diet, so to not give into their children’s requests and to buy foods that are beneficial to their children’s diet is a good way to provide nutrition to their children. So the real problem isn’t the advertiser or the parents alone, it’s a combined work effort that are leading to obesity in children.

 

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Letter to the Editor

 

By Kody and Sara

 

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220 Amherst Avenue

Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085

1 June 2007

 

 

Letter to the Editor

Sheboygan-Press

Sheboygan, WI 53083

 

Editor:

 

While recently doing a study on the link between children and obesity we stumbled upon a problem. The advertisers today have geared almost everything there are trying to sell towards children. Mostly with the help of some very popular cartoon characters, these companies are telling children that the sugary foods they are selling are the best thing for them to eat.  With children these days being very good at getting what they want, parents are giving in and buying these foods for their “small” children.

 

 

Knowing very well that these foods are bad for their children, parents still buy the sugary treats.  With all the advertising and the buying the parents do, it’s no wonder that most of the children we see today are obese. The blame shouldn’t be on the advertising companies, it’s really the parents, who buys the food after all?

 

So today we ask that parents think before they go to the grocery store next time. Think about how these children are our future and to be successful they need to be healthy active people.  Sometimes it’s hard for parents to ensure a healthy diet, but to do your part make sure they eat health things at home and limit the amount of “junk” food you buy.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

Kody

 

Sara

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Group members

 

• Kody (10djmean@sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us)
• Sara  (10sdmart@sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us)

 

 

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Sources

 

"Report Links TV Ads and Childhood Obesity." The New York Times. December 6, 2005. Name of institution/organization affiliated with site. 06/01/07. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/06/business/media/06cnd-kids.html?ex=1291525200&en=c81a1eea871613b1&ei=5090.

 

 

Todd Costello. “Blame for childhood obesity: Parents or Advertising?.” 4/19/07. Cardinal Points.6/01/07. http://media.www.cardinalpointsonline.com/media/storage/paper1064/news/2007/04/20/Opinion/Blame.For.Childhood.Obesity.Parents.Or.Advertising-2869170.shtml.