Fast Food Advertising And Childhood Obesity

Obesity rates continue to rise, especially among adolescents, which is why it is important to understand the role that advertising plays on the Obesity epidemic. If there is a correlation it is important to look at different policies in the political world that could combat unhealthy food advertisements to children. Since obesity is such a significant problem, it is vital to find out what is causing or influencing obesity rates to rise so that preventative measures can be implemented.

Obesity rates continue to rapidly increase among children. One possible contributor to the Obesity epidemic is unhealthy food advertisements that are directly targeted to children. In the article “The impact of Food Branding on Children's Eating Behavior and

Children are a very profitable business for junk food so much so that “American children spend nearly $30 billion of their own money annually on such foods, and companies design products to tap this market” (Nestle). It is the role of advertising that contributes to a multi billion-dollar business among children. Companies spend a drastic amount of money to ensure children know their brands. For instance companies “support sales of “kids' foods,” with marketing budgets totaling an estimated $10 billion annually”(Nestle). Companies spend great amounts of money on advertising and not for nothing. These companies realize that the more money they spend on advertising the more it will pay off since children will consume there product

Despite Talmudic parsing of the limitations of the research, the IOM finds that the preponderance of evidence supports the links. Marketing strongly influences children's food preferences, requests, and consumption. The idea that some forms of marketing increase the risk of obesity, says the IOM, “cannot be rejected.”(Nestle)

Advertising has a powerful impact on children and what they consume. As obesity rates continue to rise it is important to look at advertising as a possible factor. Even other countries recognize the harmful effects that advertising has on children. Since there are “at least 50 other countries that regulate television advertising aimed at children”(Nestle). These regulations on advertising directed toward children differ in the severity among different countries. Sweden for example bans cartoon characters that are targeted to children younger than twelve. Where as the Netherlands bans the advertisements of sweets to those younger than 12 (Nestle). Whatever the regulation is among different countries it shows that they are not afraid to take initiative to combat obesity. It is no surprise that America ranks number five as the most obese country among children aged five to seventeen