Catherine Duncan
English 1200/75
Melissa Tetterton
5 May 2010
Final Portfolio
Fast-food Advertising Affects Children’s Health
Childhood obesity is a prevalent problem in the United States today. “Since the late 1970s, obesity rates have more than doubled among children 6-11 years of age and more than tripled among those 12-19 years of age” (Nestle 1). Childhood obesity should not be taken lightly because these children are at risk for numerous chronic diseases as a direct result of the health choices they are making when they are young. “Almost two-thirds of overweight children have at least one cardiovascular risk factor and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing in youth” (French 2). It is important to pin point the specific causes of childhood obesity and focus on what parents and the government can do to stop those influences.
One of the most obvious causes of childhood obesity is fast-food advertisement directed towards children. It has been proven that fast food television advertisement strongly shapes the choices that children make concerning food and their health. Marketers are deliberately zoning in on children aged 3-11 by putting commercials during children’s shows, enticing with toys and games and convincing children that they know better than their parents. This deception needs to be stopped and it may take a combination of governmental regulation and a new public understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, by both parents and children, to cure childhood obesity.
“Every day, nearly one-third of U.S. children aged 4-19 eat fast-food, which likely packs on about six extra pounds per child per year and increases the risk of obesity, a study of 6,212 youngsters found” (Holguin 1). Dr. David Ludwig, director of the obesity program at Children’s Hospital Boston responds to this statistic by saying “the numbers, though alarming, are not surprising since billions of dollars are spent each year on fast-food advertising directed at kids” (Holguin 1). Fast-food advertising is one factor that has been clearly identified, and also one that is clearly preventable.
Fast-food advertising has zeroed in on this specific age group for deliberate reasons. They are so specific on reaching that audience that they run their commercials at times that the children will be viewing, entice them with mascots, cartoon characters, celebrities etcetera and even add in the bonus of a toy! Almost every fast-food restaurant has a toy in the kid’s meal and some kind of mascot that a child would remember such as Ronald McDonald or The Cow from Chick-Fila. Even the sight of a fast-food restaurant screams children, with almost all of them having some sort of kid friendly atmosphere such as a jungle gym. Most importantly is that these children do not even have to leave their homes to be attacked by the fast-food marketers because they are being reached through the televisions in their living rooms. These are not coincidences, they are deliberate acts to reach and appeal to the children of our nation.
In a recent study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research, it was found that “a ban on fast food television advertisements during children’s programming would reduce the number of overweight children ages 3-11 by 18 percent, while also lowering the number of overweight adolescents ages 12-18 by 14 percent” ("Ban On Fast Food TV Advertising Would Reverse Childhood Obesity Trends, Study Shows" 1). If banning these advertisements will help in this epidemic then that is the next step that needs to be taken.
In order for this to be done, there has to be some sort of incentive for the fast food industry to agree to eliminate their ads, because they have the freedom to advertise and make money just like any other industry. The government could reward the fast-food restaurants that don’t advertise towards children and/or they can fine those that do. Another option is there could be an agreement between the government and the fast-food companies that they could continue advertising during children’s shows but only the healthier options they offer such as apple sticks and yogurt. This would allow to companies to still get their names out there, without teaching America’s youth to eat unhealthy food.
Fast-food advertisements on television have an obvious effect on the health and lives of our children. “Empirical studies, including recent reviews by the American Psychological Association and the Institute of Medicine, show that advertisements achieve their intended effects on children- that is, they shape product preferences and eating habits” (Mello 1). Obviously these eating habits that are becoming a trend in the younger generation are not excellent. This is a direct result of what they are being taught from marketers.
“Marketers are interested in children and adolescents as consumers because they spend billions of their own dollars annually, influence how billions more are spent through household food purchases, and are future adult consumers” (French 2). Since children bring in so much revenue it is a business move on their part to appeal to that consumer, even if they are not aware of the business exchange that is going on. These marketing techniques are deliberately trying to instill long-lasting habits and future consumption, which is why it not only leads to childhood obesity but will follow them into their adulthood as well. Research done by The Center for Disease Control “indicates that there is an 80 percent chance an overweight adolescent will be an obese adult” (“Ban on Fast Food Advertising Would Reveres Childhood Obesity Trends, Study Shows” 2).
Children spend an immense amount of time in front of the television, making it a crucial resource for marketers. “It is estimated that US children may view between 20,000 – 40,000 commercials each year” (French 4). Television viewing starts at such a young age in the US and the rate does not decline as children age. This being said, it is interesting to view the amount of money that industries spend on television advertisement. “Over 75% of US food manufacturers’ advertising budgets and 95% of US fast-food restaurant budgets are allocated to television” (French 4).
With children being exposed to so many commercials, it is important that we take a look at what they are advertising and teaching the youth of our nation. “Children view an average of one food commercial every five minutes of television viewing time, and may see as many as three hours of food commercials each week” (French 4). These statistics make it so obvious how deliberate this industry is at reaching children and how successful they have been. In an international comparative survey of television advertising aimed at children by Consumers International, “the findings showed that Australia, US and UK had the most food advertisements, with fast food restaurants accounting for over half of all food advertisements” (French 5). This is hard evidence of the fast-food industry deliberately zoning in on the younger generation. These studies were done by unbiased international organizations that would have no reason to shape the results any specific way. This is the ugly, honest truth about what the television advertisements consist of on children’s channels.
Marketing is defined as “an activity an organization engages in to facilitate an exchange between itself and its customers/clients” (French 2). This is interesting because it is happening without the child even being aware of it, as they are watching Saturday morning cartoons. Marketing unhealthy foods and products to children is wrong. “The heavy marketing of high fat, high sugar foods to this age group can be viewed as exploitative because young children do not understand that commercials are designed to sell products and they do not yet possess the cognitive ability to comprehend or evaluate the advertising” (French 4). These children are defenseless as they are ultimately being brainwashed with unhealthy food choices and lifestyles while innocently watching television in the living room of their own home.
In the past it has been argued that restrictions on advertising would be a violation of free speech and that these companies have the right to advertise to whomever, whenever they please. “Although marketers justify appeals to children as “training” in consumer culture, as free speech, and as good for business, they are not selling just any consumer product: they are selling junk foods to children who would be better off not eating them” (Nestle 1). It is not the fact that they are advertising, but rather whom they are targeting that is the problem. Obviously every industry has the right to advertise in order to sell their product. However, it is important that marketing, specifically fast-food advertisements, are not destructive to the health of those viewing. When advertisements are targeted towards adults, they have the ability to analyze and understand the ulterior motives that the marketers have. Children do not yet have the ability to thoroughly understand advertisements in order to make their own decisions; they have not developed that ability yet.
One of the tactics of fast-food advertising is to go for the “nag and pester”. They are trying to get children to ask their parents, beg and pled until they finally give in and buy them what they want, which happens all too often. “Marketers know that toddlers and preschool children have considerable purchase influence and can successfully negotiate purchases through what marketers term the “nag factor” or “pester power”” (French 3). Therefore, many people automatically go and blame the parents for the obesity problem that their children have. Parents are often singled out in articles pertaining to childhood obesity. For example, “Parents simply have to say NO… its up to the parents, not the government, to turn off the television” (Udell 544). However, it is already so hard being a parent in the first place, the last thing they want to do when they come home from work is to fight over broccoli.
However, “many articles argue that a ban on food advertising would help parents to combat sophisticated advertising that encouraged children to exert pressure on them to make purchases of foods seen on television” (Udell 542). The government needs to step in and help out the parents with the ongoing fight for a healthier generation, because the parents simply cannot do it alone. There are many public health organizations that would be critical instruments in the steps to tackling childhood obesity, such as The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the National Institutes of Health as they have been successful in launching steps in the past addressing other US health concerns such as diabetes, asthma and tobacco use.
There are many steps that need to be taken to stop this specific cause to childhood obesity. We can take note from previous experiences with tobacco advertisements. The two have many similarities, even down to the kid-friendly cartoon characters they use to market such as Joe the Camel. The good news is that from experience “initiatives are most likely to gain acceptance if they focus on children and adolescents. Young people are especially vulnerable to advertising, and there is greater political tolerance for legal intervention on their behalf- this is a clear lesson from the history of tobacco control” (Mello 4).
We should start by learning from what has worked and what has been less than successful with regulation in the past of similar situations. For example “Well crafted anti-tobacco advertisements have had considerable effects on youths’ tobacco use and attitudes” (Mello 5). The ideal situation would be to restrict the fast-food commercials to no longer be able to advertise toward children. However, the next best way to tackle this issue is to “develop counter-advertising campaigns that encourage better nutrition and alert young consumers to their potential for manipulation by food advertisements” (Mello 5). If we put up more commercials that counteract those for fast-food, the nutrition promotion may have just as big of an effect on the children watching. “The most common proposals are to restrict the quantity and content of advertisements during children’s television programs and to require that broadcasters provide equal time for messages that promote good nutrition and physical activity” (Mello 3). This step is the most conceivable at this time because the fast-food industry is so resistant to limiting their advertisement and one thing we can do without their cooperation is counter-advertising.
Ultimately the United States needs to learn from the other countries around the world with better health and follow suit with what they have been doing for years. “Maybe efforts will push U.S. policies in the direction of those of at least 50 other countries that regulate television advertising aimed at children” (Nestle 2). It is important for the US government to take note on what has worked for other countries and learn how they tackled similar problems. “Many foreign governments prohibit or restrict advertising during television programs that target young children, and the IOM recently recommended restrictions on television advertising if the food and beverage industries do not voluntarily shift their advertising emphasis away from products that are not nutritious” (Mello 3). The government is going to eventually have to cut off any advertising directed at children because they are not old enough to understand the meaning and manipulation of marketing.
The fast-food industry has responded to these suggestions by saying that there should not be governmental regulation and that childhood obesity needs to be dealt with on an individual basis in the household between the parents and children. However there are more people in favor of the government restriction than those opposed. “Overall, the US public appears increasingly concerned about childhood obesity and wants action by governmental and other public health organizations to combat it” (Evans 173). So with support from the public and an obvious need for regulation it is finally time for the government to step in. The government needs to follow the patterns of what has worked for others in the past by taking a stand against fast-food advertisement in an effort to save the future generation.
The more aware our country is of the problem we are facing, the more support there will be for stricter regulations. Currently there has been a push for more health promotion directed at children. However, in response to the increase it has been said that, “at the moment, companies efforts- and those of government agencies- to promote more healthful foods remain far short of their full potential” (Nestle 2). So as a nation we must step it up and take charge to reverse this trend of childhood obesity. There is not time to waste.
"Ban On Fast Food TV Advertising Would Reverse Childhood Obesity Trends, Study Shows." ScienceDaily. 29 Nov. 2008. Web. 14 Apr. 2010.
Evans, Douglas W., Jeanette M. Renaud, Eric Finkelstein, Douglas B. Kamerow, and Derek S. Brown. "Changing Perceptions of the Childhood Obesity Epidemic." American Journal of Health Behavior 30.2 (2006): 167-76. Pubmed. Web. 14 Apr. 2010.
French, Simone, and Mary Story. "Food Advertising and Marketing Directed at Children and Adolescents in the US." The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 1.3 (2004): 1-23. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Apr. 2010.
Holguin, Jaime. "Fast Food Linked To Child Obesity - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. 5 Jan. 2003. Web. 14 Apr. 2010.
Mello, Michelle M., David M. Studdert, and Troyen A. Brennan. "Obesity - The New Frontier of Public Health Law." The New England Journal of Medicine 24th ser. 354.2601-2610 (2006): 1-7. The New England Journal of Medicine. 15 June 2006. Web. 10 Apr. 2010.
Nestle, Marion. "Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity - A Matter of Policy." The New England Journal of Medicine 24th ser. 354.2527-2529 (2006): 1-3. The New England Journal of Medicine. 16 June 2006. Web. 10 Apr. 2010.
Udell, Tuesday, and Kaye Mehta. "When Two Sides Go to War: Newspaper Reporting of 'television Food Advertising Restrictions' as a Solution to Childhood Obesity." Health, Risk & Society 10.6 (2008): 535-4548. PubMed. Web. 14 Apr. 2010.
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