Are Commercials Making Children Obese During the past three decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the percent of obese Americans. A major influence of the health of an individual is their diet. Most people develop their preference of food as a child, and commercial advertisements have a significant influence in the opinion of what food is viewed favorably by children. Companies make the most profit selling food high in fats and sugars, but it is convenient for parents who want to make their kids happy by giving them food they think they will enjoy. Low prices and quick service may appear to save time and money, but the long term consequences of being overweight may end up costing their health, which costs time and money. “Food and beverage marketing pervades all aspects of modem life in the United States. The extent of that directed at children is of increasing concern because of the modem childhood obesity epidemic, privacy issues and exploitive marketing practices.” (Jennifer L. Pomeranz). Kids have become obese due to an addiction unhealthy food that they are tricked into wanting all while their parents are unaware of much it affects them. What may be the most striking thing about the media’s influence is the impact …show more content…
So a child will want to get a kids meal at certain restaurants, that way they can get the toy that comes with it. “In fact, advertisements for children or teenagers have a greater likelihood of including ‘free gifts, premiums, or contests’ than other advertisements. Finally, companies often use celebrities to draw attention to their advertisements and give credibility to their products.” (Andrew Harvey). Prominent figures are who kids look up to, and if they promote a company, it creates a sense of trust in the child for that company. Also, if they are someone who inspires the child, they will want to have the product to be more like that