Health Network News

Visualize this: youngsters around America are seated in front of the TV watching food commercials to the tune of more than five an hour. More than 70 percent of those commercials are for sugary foods, fast food, and other high-calorie items, each of which can add to childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity and excessive weight is a national problem. The National Center for Health Statistics show that 17 percent of children are overweight. Further, overweight children quite often turn into overweight adults. They have an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and certain cancers, among other ailments and diseases. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), part of the problem may be that American society has become “obesogenic,”. This is characterized by situations and environments that promote increased consumption of food, unhealthful foods, and a sedentary lifestyle.

As reported by researchers at the University of California-Davis, who studied the types of food commercials watched by kids who watch English- and Spanish-language TV programs. During high viewing times for kids (Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons). Recordings were made of broadcasts on twelve networks, which included children’s cable channels, networks that attract older youths, mainstream English-language channels, and the two highest rated Spanish language channels.

A total of 5,724 commercials were recorded. Of these, 1,162 were food-related. Kids were shown an average of 5.2 food related commercials per hour. Of these commercials, more than 70 percent were for unhealthful items (foods with increased sugar and/or elevated fat content), which contribute to childhood obesity. Thirty-four percent of these ads were for fast-food restaurants and convenience foods.

The highest share of food-related ads were seen on children’s networks, where the commercials were mostly for sugary cereals and sweets, high-fat foods, fast-food restaurant fare, and snacks. Likened with programming for a general audience, children’s TV exposed its viewers to 76 percent more food ads per hour than the other networks. Young people that watch TV on a children’s network during Saturday morning from 7 to 10 AM see approximately one food commercial every eight minutes.

Older children continue to be shown unhealthful food commercials. The researchers watched programming such as the music videos offered by BET and MTV. They found that 80 percent of the MTV food ads were for fast food restaurants, sugary beverages, and sweets.

The authors of the research, which was published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, noted that “Study after study has documented the adverse health effects of food advertising targeting children and adolescents.” They went on to say that “School- and family-based programs that have attempted to reduce children’s media use have shown promise.” Yet because children are shown food commercials by other media, particularly the Internet, the authors suggest the introduction of “nutrition-focused media literary interventions” to help young people translate the economic motives of food advertisers and the ways the industry applies to increase market for their products. These campaigns, along with others, may help stem the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.