Ads and Childhood Obesity
Visualize this: youngsters across the world are sitting in front of the TV viewing food commercials at the rate of more than five per hour. Most of those commercials are for sugary foods, fast food, and other high-calorie items, all of which can add to childhood obesity.
Childhood obesity and excessive weight is a national problem. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 17 percent of children are overweight. Further, overweight children quite often turn into overweight adults. They have an greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and certain cancers, along with other ailments and diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), part of the problem may be that American society has become "obesogenic,". This is characterized by situations and environments that elevate increased consumption of food, unhealthful foods, and a sedentary lifestyle.
As reported by researchers at the University of California-Davis, who studied the types of food commercials seen by kids who watch English- and Spanish-language TV programs. During high viewing times for children (Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons). Recordings were made of broadcasts on twelve networks, which included children's cable channels, networks that appeal to older youths, mainstream English-language channels, and the two highest rated Spanish language channels.
An aggregate of 5,724 commercials were recorded. Of these, 1,162 were food-related. Children were shown an average of 5.2 food related commercials per hour. Of these commercials, more than 70 percent were for unhealthful foods (foods with increased sugar and/or increased fat content), which add to childhood obesity. Thirty-four percent of the advertisements were for fast-food restaurants and convenience items.
The highest share of food-related advertisements appeared on children's networks, where the advertisements were primarily for sugary cereals and sweets, high-fat foods, fast-food restaurant fare, and snacks. Likened with television for a generalized audience, children's networks exposed its viewers to 76 percent more food advertisements each hour than the other networks. Children that watch TV on a children's network during Saturday morning from 7 to 10 AM are shown approximately one food commercial per eight minutes.
Older children continue to be exposed to unhealthful food ads. The researchers viewed programming such as the music videos offered by BET and MTV. They reported that 80 percent of the MTV food commercials were for fast food restaurants, sugary beverages, and sweets.
The authors of the study, which was published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, indicated that "Study after study has documented the adverse health effects of food advertising targeting children and adolescents." They continued to state that "School- and family-based programs that have attempted to reduce children's media use have shown promise." Yet because children are shown food advertisements by other media, especially the Internet, the authors suggest the creation of "nutrition-focused media literary interventions" to help young people translate the economic motives of food advertisers and the ways the industry applies to increase desire for their products. These efforts, and others, may help stem the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.
Here is your free guide to healthful cooking. For more information about some of the causes of childhood obesity visit Facts About Childhood Obesity.
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