One of the major challenges faced by public health in developed world today is childhood obesity, and this is predominant in Canada and the United States. The level of childhood obesity in Canada has increased enormously over the past decades. It was reported that over 26 per cent of Canadian children between ages of 6 to 17 years are overweight or obese which is approximately two times higher the rates three decades ago (Kent, Dubois, & Wanless, 2013). There are various chronic health problems that are related to childhood obesity which seems insurmountable to Canadian health care system. Type II diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension are reported to be the main contributing factors to the total direct cost (approximately 2.4 per cent of the total health care costs) of obesity in Canada ( Ball & McCargar, 2003). Studies have demonstrated that there is an association between advertising of foods and beverages and childhood obesity. They contend that advertisements directed to children influences their food preferences, consumption habits, and purchase requests (Kent, Dubois, & Wanless, 2012). Vast majority of these advertisements are foods and beverages with low nutrients, high fat diet, sugar, and sodium which are usually marketed to children on television and internet (Kent et al., 2012).
Since internet is now ubiquitous, food and beverage companies find advertising on internet more appealing due to the fact that it is cost effective in relative to television marketing (Kent et al., 2013). Similarly, it was also reported that 30 per cent of grades 6 to 12 children spend over 2 hours of their leisure time on computers every day (Kent et al., 2013). The World Health Organization (WHO) realizes that childhood obesity i...
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...bois, L., & Wanless, A. (2012). A nutritional comparison of foods and beverages marketed to children in two advertising policy environments. Obesity, 20(9), 1829-1837.
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In the documentary Killer at Large, former Surgeon General Richard Carmona remarked that “Obesity is a terror within. It’s destroying our society from within and unless we do something about it, the magnitude of the dilemma will dwarf 9/11 or any other terrorist event that you can point out…” Carmona is indeed right, with the rapid increase of obese children, America is on the fast track to producing a generation with a life expectancy shorter than their peers. One of the main factor is the media representation of obesity (Greenstreet 2008). In today’s society parents are not only worrying about televisions influence on their kid’s behavior but their weight and health, too. According to study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, that researched the role of media in childhood obesity, stated the obesity increased by 2% for every hours of television in adolescent’s ages 12 to 17. The advertisement of food and beverages present a very strong influence on the children. Most of the products being advert...
Obesity in the United States, which the media has labeled a national crisis, has also been connected to poverty rates. Big fast food industry’s target poor communities, and spend millions of dollars each year to create advertising that appeals to these specific areas. These industry’s also target naïve children when advertising because they know that eating habits developed in childhood are usually carried into adulthood. Children who are exposed to television advertisements for unhealthy food and who are not educated well enough on good nutrition will grow up and feed their families the same unhealthy foods they ate as kids. A big way fast food giants are able to make certain young people have access to unhealthy food is by strategically placing franchises in close proximity to schools. They will often place three times as many outlets within walking distance of schools than in areas where there are no schools nearby. The way fast food advertising is targeted towards children is very alarming considering how important good nutrition is for young people and how a child’s eating habits can affect their growth and
Veerman, J. L., Van Beeck, E. F., Banerndregt, J. J., & Mackenbach, J. P. (2009). By how much would limiting TV food advertising reduce childhood obesity? European Journal of Public Health,, 19(4), 365-369. doi: Retrieved from
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According to “Burger Battles” from the Weekly Reader, obesity is defined as a person whose weight is 20 percent higher than recommended for their height (Burger Battles 1). When this condition begins to affect children lives, it is then known as childhood obesity. Within the United States of America, around 15 percent of children are considered to be obese (Holguin 3). Increasing tremendously, this outbreak has actually tripled in the amount of obese teen and doubled in children up to the age of thirteen (Burger Battles 2). One of the factors that is usually overlooked in the cause for obesity is the role of television. Not only does it reduce the amount of physical activity, the advertisements and commercials are targeting innocent viewers. In a survey completed by Gary Ruskin of Commercial Alert, the average child watches nearly 19 hours and 40 minutes of television a week (Ruskin 2). With that amount of time spent watching television, advertisements for fast food will be entering the children’s minds.
It is said that fast food advertising is linked to rising childhood and teen obesity. The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases morbidity, morality, and has substantial long-term economic and social costs (opposing viewpoints). Approximately 20% of our youth are now overweight with obesity rates in preschool age children increasing at alarming speed (opposing viewpoints). U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona said, “obesity is the fastest-growing cause of illness and death in the United States.” When I read this I was shocked. This is something that can change, but its up to ourselves to make that commitment. No one else has the power to do so but us. Did you know that treating obesity-related problems cost Americans $117 billion annually, that’s $420 per person (CQ Researcher).
Pichert, J. W., Moore, I. N., Catron, T. F., Ross, J. C., Westlake, M. W., Karrass, J.,
Food advertising contributes to childhood obesity in many ways. One of them being that the food advertised is unhealthy. “The mechanism of effect of media exposure on obesity may also operate through the extensive advertising messages for unhealthy foods targeted at children.” (Agarwal, Dhanasekaran) The food advertising geared towards children makes them develop unhealthy eating habits, and choices. The advertisements are usually advertising unhealthy foods, never healthy ones. “When children watch television, they cannot escape food advertising. “Sugared snacks and drinks, cereal, and fast food advertisements respectively comprise approximately thirty-two percent, thirty-one percent, and nine percent of all advertisements marketed specifically to children.” (Termini, Roberto, Hostetter) Due to limited cognitive abilities, children view many food advertisements, and don’t really have the knowledge or capability to comprehend that the food being advertised is not healthy.