Food Ads Targeting Kids

Did you know that children are spending anywhere between 3.5 to almost 6 hours of screen time including TV, computers, phones, etc. every day.   8 – 12 year olds are exposed to almost 40 minutes of advertising a day.  Food is the most frequently advertised product with the top three products being candy and snacks, cereal and fast food.  When the nutritional quality of food ads targeting kids was assessed, to no one surprise, nutritionally poor food ads dominated.      
Are you surprised?  This is another reason why a comprehensive approach to improving health has to include policy and advocacy for healthy environments along with nutrition education and health promotion.  Our kids deserve better!  We need strong science based guidelines to direct food marketing to kids.   

There are many groups researching the impact of media and advertising on children.  There are also groups that provide media advocacy training and strategic planning support for community groups and public health advocates.  If you are interested in getting involved, check out the Berkeley Media Studies Group at www.bsmg.org.  


Source: Children Now- Ensuring a Healthy Media Environment for Children  http://www.cce.csus.edu/conferences/nhc/11/speaker/uploads/Espejo,%20E_Ensuring_Healthy_Media.pdf