Child Obesity And Social Media Analysis

As policy makers and health organizations are in search for alleviating child obesity, studies done from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2005, suggested that regulation on children's television food advertising would be needed. In December of 2006, ten of the top food companies in the U.S. announced a new Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), which included a devotion to promote at least 50% of their advertisements with healthier foods or PSAs that encouraged fitness or nutrition(food for thought). “Several major food companies have announced their own independent voluntary efforts, such as not advertising to children under a certain age, or setting nutritional standards for advertising” (Kaiser foundation). Each company

Many children have access to computers at home, meaning that much of the media content that children view is without supervision. The use of social media to market foods and beverages has exploded in the past decade alone. “In 2012, six billion fast food advertisements appeared on Facebook. Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Subway ranked in the top-12 of all brands on Facebook that year, with more than 23 million ‘likes.’ Coca-Cola, Red Bull, and Pepsi were the top-three drink brands on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in 2013” (Obesity Action Coalition). To add on to that, popular child stars are endorsed by food brands which rise the chance the child wanting it. Since children are easily impressionable, marketing companies spend a substantial amount of money with high end celebrities because in fact it does pay off. Often enough, popular brands of soda and snacks Co-brand with popular sites they know kids use, which is mainly game-based. This tactic of strategy is called

With the amount of power, food advertising companies hold over a child’s diet, many parents wake to find solutions for their child. As most parents struggle to set limits, corporations often undermine parental authority by encouraging children to nag or complain. This can portray children to believe that their parents are mean or unfair. When discussing the strategy for selling Kraft Lunchables, a marketing expert put it this way: “Parents do not fully approve—they would rather their child ate a more traditional lunch—but this adds to the brand’s appeal among children because it reinforces their need to feel in control ( Neville 2001, 17).’’ This not only sets a family stress, but prevents the parents to offer healthier food choices in the