Food Advertisment and Childhood Obesity in the United States

Consumers and health organizations have sought to acknowledge the accumulating problem of childhood obesity in the United States. This research will provide evidence that television advertisements influences food preferences, and is associated with the increased epidemic of obesity among children. I will be talking about food advertisement and its effects on children. Today food companies have make children their biggest targets. A food marketer is interested in youths as consumers because of their purchasing power and their influence over their spending habit. I will be attacking the different aspects that the food advertisements have on children, and the health effects sustaining to food advertisement. I also will be taking different measures of demonstrating different studies to support my topic. The biggest source of media message is television and parent’s best defense against poor nutrition is controlling the power of the television.

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.

A child who spends too much time in front of the television is more susceptible to health problems. A major cause of obesity today is the frequent viewing of television, causing children to become less physical active. Childre...

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... not include any direct appeal to children to persuade adults to buy products for them or to discombobulate children as to the value or cost of a given product. The goal of these rules is to protect children from advertising that exploits their naivety. There’s different ways both parents, and food marketers can control or eliminate food advertisement that is being aimed at children. A good way to control this is self-regulation. Some of the potential modifications that could be made include, banning fast food advertising on child-targeted television; regulating food advertisements directed at children and the companies who produce them; increasing parental intervention. Parents can play a big role in controlling the power to their TV whether by switching in between television programs to avoid food advertisement or recording shows that you allow your kids to watch.