Food for Thought:
Here’s another reason to turn off the boob tube: a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that a staggering number of food ads that run during kids’ programming promote foods high in fat, sodium or added sugars or low in nutrients.
The researchers reported that during 27.5 hours of programming in May 2005, 49% of ads were for food or beverages geared toward children. The most common ads were for ready-to-eat cereal and cereal bars (27%), restaurants (19%) and snack foods (18%). A whopping 91% of the food ads run during kids’ shows hawked foods or beverages low in nutrients and high in fat, sodium or added sugars. Cartoon characters were featured in 74% of the ads, whereas 26% teased their young, impressionable viewers with promises of toys or other “giveaways.”
Parents and teachers: know thy enemy and pull the plug on your TV.
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