Commercials and Childhood Obesity

Imagine this: kids around America are seated in front of the TV viewing food commercials to the tune of more than five an hour. Most of those commercials are for sugary foods, fast food, and other high-calorie items, all of which can contribute to childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity and excessive weight is a national problem. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 17 percent of children are overweight. Further, overweight children quite often become overweight adults. They have an elevated risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and certain cancers, among other ailments and diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), part of the problem may be that American society has become "obesogenic,". This is defined 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 evaluated the types of food commercials seen by kids who watch English- and Spanish-language TV programs. During high viewing times for children (Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons). Recordings were made of broadcasts on twelve networks, which included children's cable channels, networks that appeal to older youths, mainstream English-language channels, and the two highest rated Spanish language channels.

An aggregate of 5,724 commercials were recorded. Of these, 1,162 were food-related. Children were exposed to an average of 5.2 food related commercials per hour. Of these commercials, more than 70 percent were for unhealthful foods (foods with high sugar and/or increased fat content), which add to childhood obesity. Thirty-four percent of these commercials were for fast-food restaurants and convenience foods.

The greatest percentage of food-related ads were seen on children's networks, where the commercials were for the most part for sugary cereals and sweets, high-fat foods, fast-food restaurant fare, and snacks. Compared with TV for a general audience, children's networks exposed its viewers to 76 percent more food ads each hour than the other networks. Children that watch TV on a children's network during Saturday morning from 7 to 10 AM are shown approximately one food commercial every eight minutes.

Older kids continue to be exposed to unhealthful food advertisements. The researchers observed programming such as the music videos offered by BET and MTV. They reported that 80 percent of the MTV food advertisements were for fast food restaurants, sugary beverages, and sweets.

The publishers of the research, which was published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, wrote that "Study after study has documented the adverse health effects of food advertising targeting children and adolescents." They went on to state that "School- and family-based programs that have attempted to reduce children's media use have shown promise." Yet because youngsters are shown food commercials by other media, particularly the Internet, the authors propose the introduction of "nutrition-focused media literary interventions" to help young people understand the economic motivations of food advertisers and the techniques the industry uses to increase demand for their products. These efforts, and others, may help reduce the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.

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