The Influence Of Food Advertising

Since televisions are increasingly becoming a popular source of media in many American households, advertisements targeted toward children, specifically for food, are substantially affecting the food choices and healthy habits in society. Concerning the issue of televising unhealthy foods to children, many people argue that since children’s decision-making skills are not fully developed, they are more likely to follow their parents’ choices than to form their own, rendering the industries’ tactics useless and inconsequential. On the other hand, food industries argue that their tactics are purely business-related, and if viewers decide to willingly buy their products, they should not be held accountable for their actions. However, the fact that

Despite what others commonly presume, simply refusing to buy and consume foods is not always the most straightforward option, especially when factors such as withdrawal and cravings overtake the brain’s fundamental needs. For example, since the brain is hardwired to seek out the neurotransmitter dopamine, which the body commonly perceives as pleasure, it also expresses extensive withdrawal-like symptoms when dopamine levels suddenly drop. Correspondingly, unhealthy items are known to release massive amounts of dopamine, so when continual consumption of unhealthy items over a long period of time suddenly stops, the brain experiences intense withdrawal that can, over time, lead to severe physical and psychological issues. Additionally, unhealthy foods stimulate the brain’s reward system in the same way as drugs do, emphasizing the significant effect of food addiction on the body (Gunnars). Food industries are advertising products that contain dopamine-releasing ingredients, knowing that people will form an addiction and consume more foods. Targeting children especially, industries acknowledge that gaining an addiction at a young age will allow them to form eating habits that will only benefit the industries’ profits, encouraging children to increase their addiction levels and harm their physical

For example, since more children are becoming conscious of their health, food industries alter their products only slightly to make their customers feel more satisfied, but they are not doing enough. If customers want fewer calories in their foods, industries lessen the calories while adding more sugary ingredients to make up for the taste. If customers refuse to buy bigger bags of chips, industries create smaller bags, knowing that customers will feel better about themselves and still purchase the products (Moss 489). Since their ultimate goal is to gain the most profit and change the same successful business as little as possible, the food industries’ efforts to truly alter their products for the better are half-hearted and insincere. If children are to receive improvements concerning their nutritional needs, industries need to take into consideration the long-term effects of their actions and create more sufficient modifications to their