How Fast Food Advertising Affects Childhood Obesity

Hey Everyone! Now I'm sure all of you have heard about the increase in childhood obesity in the news. It seems as though every week your hear about how schools are cutting back on high fat content foods, finding healthy alternatives, and teaching children about health and wellness. Now while I personally think childhood obesity has relates directly to parenting I'll save that another day and focus on how advertising is directly affecting the obesity rates among children. Most fast food is not healthy...we know that... but did you know that last year the fast food industry spent more than 4.2 BILLION dollars on advertising. Crazy right. Guess where most of that is targeted to..thats right, children. From 2003 preschoolers viewed fast food advertising 34% more... Think thats shocking ? Take a look at these...

Its spread to the web....

• McDonald's web-based marketing starts with children as young as age 2 at Ronald.com.
• McDonald's and Burger King created sophisticated websites with advergames and virtual worlds to engage children (e.g., McWorld.com, HappyMeal.com, and ClubBK.com).

And its working...

• Eighty-four percent of parents reported taking their child to a fast food restaurant at least once a week; 66% reported going to McDonald's in the past week.
• Forty percent of parents reported that their child asks to go to McDonald's at least once a week; 15% of preschoolers ask to go every day.

But what about the healthy options you say...?

• Just 17% of regular menu items qualified as healthy choices.
• Snacks and dessert items contained as many as 1,500 calories, which is five times more than the 200 to 300 calorie snack for active teens recommended by the American Dietetic Association.
• The average restaurant had 15 signs promoting specific menu items, but just 4% promoted healthy menu items.
• Subway offered healthy sides and beverages 60% of the time, making it the only fast food restaurant in our study to routinely provide healthy choices. 
• ^^ Hurray for Subway! :)

So in conclusion....

• Teens between the ages of 13 and 18 purchased 800 to 1,100 calories in an average fast food visit.
• At least 30% of calories in menu items purchased by children and teens were from sugar and saturated fat.
• At most restaurants, young people purchased at least half of their maximum daily recommended sodium intake in just one fast food meal.
• Teens ordered more fast food than any other age group during non-meal times after school and in the evening.
  
  
  Honestly, While I was just reading these statistics made me cringe. While I eventually would like to get into Advertising and Promotion in the Food Industry, I dont know if I could personally work to make children obese. There are so many alternatives to eating right. I will admit, there are times when there is nothing I want more then a burger and fries. But think about this parents. While you may not be able to effect the advertising your children are being exposed to, they are looking to you to lead the way. Children mimic what they see. If you provide them with healthy food options and show them that playing outside can be fun and be a way to excersice they will grow up and healthy and ready to take on the world.