Even though American children are overweight or obese, fast food companies still continue to aim unhealthy food to children. For the most part, food that is aimed at these children is high in sugar, and fat, and is not beneficial to their developing bodies. Food advertisement companies use creative strategies in food promotion, such as characterization, animation, humor, and themes. They focus on using appeals and messages that are attracting to children. When children see a certain advertisement that is pertaining to food and play, they assimilate it faster than we know.
The largest fast food company in the world is McDonald’s and they use all types of marketing techniques to target children to buy their food. One of ... ... middle of paper ... ...y has become a predominant problem in today’s society and especially in young children. Precautions need to be taken to ensure the health of the children and future generations. Restrictions or bans should be made to limit the advertisement towards children because they are being influenced to eat food that is not healthy and overtime can deteriorate someone’s health. Parents should also teach their kids to eat healthy or to not eat fast-food excessively.
This research is what has sparked this belief of fast food restaurant's detrimental effects on childhood health. Their belief is that a young child's environment can have a large influence on their future choices and decisions; this includes, and not limited to, television content and advertising seen on billboards and buses. They do not understand the persuasive intent of advertising (The Impact of Food Advertising…). In a research study that was performed by Shin-Yi Chou, Inas Rasha, and Michael Grossman, they analyzed the relationship between the exposure to fast-food advertising and childhood obesity and found that there was, "a strong positive effect of exposure to fast-food restaurants advertising on the probability the children and adolescents are overweight" (616). This meant that the more fast-food advertising a child viewed, the greater the probability of the child or adolescent becoming overweight.
Not only are they mainly targeting children but also they target low income families and helping cause obesity in their income groups, with their low prices and dollar menus these families are vulnerable to their advertisements. They also falsely advertise their food healthy products to try and convince their target market that their food is healthy and inexpensive. Fast food advertising has caused obesity in the U.S. Fast food advertising has caused childhood obesity by targeting children. Richard Feloni argues that "American children see over a thousand fast food commercials on television every year" (parag.1). He further explains how fast food restaurants like McDonalds targets mainly children by having hundreds of advertisements mainly targeting children every year.
They get used to lifestyle which is reflected in advertisements. Companies try to discover new methods to advertise products to children and they show advertisements in a way that their fast food is harmless, they are only increase the obesity disease. There are also dangerous problems like dipression , or even suicidal thoughts as well as serious disease like diabetes. The main reason behind these problems is junk food, such as pizzas, burgers and soft drinks, these are more promoted at the time of children’s programs. This food have high amount of calories, fat and sugar whereas low amount of vatamins, protein and minerals thereby affecting kids health adversely.
However, if more people knew about the ingredients and preparation of the food that they are eating, many would turn away. Due to misleading advertisements, fast food lures people in to make purchases, but it can be a serious detriment to their heath while leading to diseases such as cancer and obesity. In order to save many from falling victim to the fast food market, increased education should be put into place, targeted at improving youth’s knowledge about advertisements and ingredients used. There should also be healthier options to rival the fast food industry in restaurants and schools. Children are known for their naivety and easily persuaded personas.
Ultimately parents control what their children eat. If parents limit the amount of unhealthy foods they eat and make their kids eat healthier, it will help with the problem of obesity. Parent’s may also have to just change their eating habits to better their kids. Something else that should be done is parents need to treat their children better. Earlier in the paper it was mentioned that kids tend to find ways of coping with abuse.
Junk food can be very appealing because of taste, price and convenience, but most children do not understand the health risks they are indulging in. Junk food is bad for many reasons the most significant is the risk of obesity and obesity related illnesses; a study published in Pediatrics in 2004 that “children eating junk food was linked with many dangerous risk for obesity.” According to this study, kids who ate junk food were more likely to consume a large amount of carbohydrates, fats, and sugar when eating junk food. The children were also less likely to eat as much dairy, fiber, and fruits and vegetables as children who did not eat junk food. Another, reason junk food should be avoided by young children would be that it causes chronic illness. According to the Prevention Institute, researchers fault junk food for the growing rates of high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes.
Once able to own his own franchise, Kroc was able to use his influential nature to allow for the McDonald’s corporation to expand and grow to the 28,000 restaurants that exist worldwide today. (Schlosser) Though the corporation had a rough start, Kroc was able to adopt the technique of marketing to children with a cartoon mascot, bright colors, and happy meals. (Schlosser 188) “Every month about 90 percent of American children between the ages of three and nine visit a McDonalds”(Schlosser, 193). This statement proves that the fast food industry has revolutionized our children’s thinking, eating habits and economic choices. Fast food has several consequences physically.
In each of the articles, toys were frowned upon as being served for free with children’s meals that had little to no nutritional value. There was also emphasis on the fact that, the parents were very careless and irresponsible in the health and well-being of their children. The parents have neglected the safety of their children, by allowing them to eat foods that are high in fat, high in carbohydrates and contain a huge sugar and salt content. I have also discovered that the fast food restaurants are also not being ethical, especially in their advertisements. McDonalds and Burger King show most of their advertisements on children’s channel such as Cartoon Network.