Today I will talk about how; the promotion of junk food advertised towards the younger generation of Australians is affecting their health dramatically. How Children do not have the capacity to resist the influence of junk food advertising and are therefore being manipulated to pester their parents for it. How what we see on advertisements are majority of the time all lies and also the fact that children are exposed to junk food advertisements everywhere not just during their TV programs so will it really change?
Firstly, I shall be talking about how the promotion of junk food advertised towards the younger generation of Australians is affecting their health dramatically. According to the ‘Australian Medical Association’ almost a quarter of Australians children and adolescents are overweight, with approximately one in four being obese. This indicates that something needs to be done to reduce these numbers. As food marketed towards children is typically high in processed energy dense and nutrient poor products, the companies are promoting food that will not provide the nutrient requirements to live a healthy life. This unhealthy balance of nutrition is a major contributor to obesity rates in children. By reducing the amount of promotion for junk food consumption in kids we will be able to reduce the percentage of children becoming overweight or obese.
Another problem is that children do not have the capacity to resist the influence of junk food advertising and are therefore being manipulated to pester their parents for it. I know for a fact that whenever I go to the shops and see something I saw on tv I strait away turn to mum and pester her to buy it for me and I’m sure it’s for all parents, that they waste their money on toys, entertainment and worst of all junk food. Food companies continue to use this method of advertising during kids programs as they know it works. The ads create little notes in kids’ minds that it’s something they need to have. Professor Simone Pettigrew, from the UWA Business School claims that currently, 97% of all food advertised to children is classified as unhealthy and I believe this should be changed. Alternative solutions to reduce the amount of junk food advertised would be promote take away such as subway which is a healthier option and tastes good as a fast food product. Other options is for companies such as McDonalds to promote there healthier options such as apple slices more on commercial tv as it would be much more beneficial to Australia’s health and parents will feel much more happy to buy the products.
One of the problems with junk food advertising is that majority of the time what they saying about their products to kids are all lies. We are constantly told through McDonald’s ads that they have healthy burgers with freshly sliced tomato and real meat. But really majority of the time it’s all just lies and claiming a false sense of what is healthy and what is not. I’m sure a lot of you in this room go to McDonald regularly and eat some of the food we see on their ads. And let me give you a little heads up about the eggs used in the egg McMuffin… well it not actually egg.. It’s a combination of chemicals to make a replica of an egg for a cheaper price, and this is just one example of the lies we are told on the TV commercials. Another example is companies advertising breakfast cereals claim that they are healthy and are perfect to get your going in the morning but really these products are high in sugar and are not giving the viewers the realistic truth. These are both reasons why banning junk food ads during children’s TV programs would help prevent kids from being convinced that junk food is what they need.
The question is, that by reducing the amount of junk food advertised turning children’s TV programs, will it really prevent kids being exposed to the promotion elsewhere? Kids targeted everywhere, billboards in the city, on the internet, in magazines, at sporting events and on other shows on tv that might not be specifically for kids.
I believe that although we can’t stop all junk food ads been advertised where kids can see them, I think that TV is the main place for companies to advertise their products and by banning that exposer its gets Australia one step closer to a healthier young generation.
We need to understand that this ongoing issue of obesity in the younger generation will only get worse unless we put a stopped junk food ads during kids TV programs. Children are an able to make informed decisions about whether these foods advertised to them are what are best for their health and its putting stress on the parents. There are too many lies involved with the advertisement industry and its giving people false ideas about what they are paying to eat, and all though kids are exposed to advertisements not just on TV, by banning the main place for companies to influence views it will make a impact on the younger generation. Junk food advertisement during kids TV programs are really effecting our youth in negative ways and by getting the government to introduce striker laws and restrictions are on the way to a healthier country.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
United States faces the risk that the percentage of obesity among children will increase. The percentage of children and adolescents who suffer from this epidemic is 17% (CDC). One generation ago, the rate was three times less than now. The number of obese children is continuously growing, which may cause a danger to children and the future of the country. The risk of obesity does not only mean the risk of diseases and health problems, but also the risks associated with psychological and social impact. There is no doubt that one of the biggest causes of obesity is the unhealthy dietary choices that many children make nowadays (IOM). The larger the increase in the percentage of obese children and thereby the increase in the risks surrounding them, the greater the need to confront this problem. Companies, institutions, parents, and individuals should play a role in fighting obesity, but the role of government is most important. The government can enact laws regulating the process of junk food advertisement aimed at children that contribute to the problem significantly. Although some jurists and businessmen oppose such regulation by government, there is some evidence that regulating junk foods advertisement aimed at children yield positive results.…
- 1232 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Meat & Veggies: John Robbins, a food activist, writes, “…we often take for granted what may very well be the greatest danger of all to their health-the hundreds of billions of dollars spent each year on ads designed to get them hooked on junk food” (142).…
- 430 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The growing influence of marketing on juvenile consumers encouraged Schor and Ford to analyze the impacts of food advertising strategies on the health of children. Schor and Ford execute their argument by demonstrating the decline of healthfulness as junk food advertising…
- 950 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
(Wexler, 68) Even the companies themselves admit it, “We want people buy our product [.]” (Rotter). Children are main targets for fast food companies. On average, 11,000 new products aimed at kids are introduced each year. (“Capitalism & Obesity…”). “…it is [unfair] to allow companies with slick, aggressive, sophisticated advertising campaigns to… directly influences children’s food choices” (Jacobson) Although many forces are trying to positively advertise to children; negative advertisements just overpower these too much. “The [over two billion] marketing budget of a company like Coca- Cola dwarfs even the $500 million [spread out] over five years being spent on childhood obesity by the [forces against obesity].” (Walsh). Marketing aimed at children, including marketing of food products, increased from $6.9 billion in 1992 to fifteen billion in 2002. (Wexler, 71) This rise in…
- 693 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Patti Miller (2011) asserts that these tactics are inappropriate and effect the health and nutrition of American children. Miller proves that children see a majority of advertisements that are directed towards unhealthy eating habits. Companies use a “better for you” tactic in attempt to convince children that the food must be nutritious. In addition to the “better for you” tactic, advertisers display unhealthy food as fun or trendy (p.69). Miller also refers to these advertising tactics as the uncontrolled and “fastest growing cause of disease and death in America” (p.70). Not only is this advertisement not adequately regulated, but recent history reveals that due to this advertising children could possibly live shorter lives than their parents (p. 70). Overall, Patti Miller asserts that media forces adolescents to prefer unhealthy food; therefore, Miller supports that television advertisement is perhaps the greatest cause of…
- 1908 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Obesity attracts many other diseases to the human body. In the United State, there are many children including an adult who has become obese. As reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “17 percent of girls’ age12 to 19 years are now suffering from childhood obesity.” The level of obesity is still rising. According to an analysis by the World Health Organization, “In the USA, the male rates of being overweight or obese is higher than those of any other major country.” Most children are being exposed to junk food all their lives. They consume on junk food everywhere they go such as at home, at school, or at the restaurant. For example, many parents are so busy working, and they do not have the time to prepare healthy food for their children; therefore, the parents purchase junk food in grand quantity from the store, so their children can easily make something to eat while they are work. Because these children were exposed to junk food when they were kids, they do the same thing when they have their own family. That is one of the reasons why the level of obesity has increased. Many people are not being instructed about the effects of junk food. Most of them know that is okay to eat junk food. People need to avoid eating junk food because it can have a negative impact on the body. For example, obesity increase blood pressure level, and this hypertension leads to stroke. There is a great difference between people who set…
- 1031 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Junk Food is a vast contributor to the increasing levels of diabetes, and other chronic conditions and diseases in America. In order to establish a healthy country, Americans must alter eating habits and establish knowledge within our nation’s children. The beverage and food industry spend billions of dollars annually to promote its products to children. Public institutions promote these products to increase revenue for school needed activities. This continuous, unhealthy cycle is in adversely affecting the nation. It’s time to raise the bar and set a higher standard for nutritional value in our nation, starting with in our school organization. Abolishing sugary snacks and inaugurating health eating habits will benefit children’s health,…
- 1436 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Advertising unhealthy food is ruining peoples lives. In the video” The Myth of Choice: How Junk-Food Marketers Target Our Kids “ by Anna Lappé it states that only 16% of youth get their healthy fruits and vegetables. That 1 in 3 kids eat fast food everyday. This leads to various diseases such as , Heart Disease , High Blood Pressure , Asthma , Obesity , Type 2 Diabetes and even Cancer. Now , half of the calories that youth eat come from fat and sugars. Youth watch about 5000…
- 726 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Child obesity is a growing problem in Australia, with an estimated 2/3 of children considered overweight, 1/3 of which are considered obese. Coincidently, Australia not only has the most overweight children, it also has the highest proportion of junk food advertising on commercial television (Chapman et. al, 2006; Morton, 1990; Morton et. al., 2005).…
- 3724 Words
- 15 Pages
Powerful Essays -
In our society we all know that McDonalds and other companies target young kids into consuming their unhealthy food which causes obesity. Most kids are introduced into these kind of fast foods through advertising and toys which kids prefer the most. Some foods are addictive which makes them come for more and more and it makes them more obese. “advertising is nothing new, but is more prevalent than ever”.(Barboza) He also said that there are more schools that offer fast food choices mostly because some schools have contracts with companies. “You are what we eat”. (Ludwig Feuerbach).If you consume fat you become fat. If the Companies produce products or foods that are unhealthy for human consumption but for their own benefit they will find the most efficient and economical way to produce the food at a lower cost also that it’s affordable to most people. If companies become more responsible and produce food that are beneficial for human consumption then they would have had more costumers and more happy customers when it comes to their health. We should also realize that there are good and bad out there and our…
- 1906 Words
- 8 Pages
Best Essays -
The known issues that lead to obesity are right in front of people’s eyes, yet they still seem to allow their children to eat it, even knowing the consequences and that they are the future of the country. These fast food restaurants are saturating children and adults with junk food advertising, particularly…
- 939 Words
- 3 Pages
Powerful Essays -
In the United States today there is a widespread of childhood obesity. Childhood obesity has increased at an alarming rate over the last 20 years. Today, nearly one in five children is battling this condition and if patterns predict the future, almost all of America’s children will be living with diabetes, heart disease, and dying younger due to obesity within the next 20 years. (Alan) Think about this problem, Americans point their fingers at restaurants like McDonalds, saying their unhealthy foods and serving sizes are responsible However, people’s lifestyles are really to blame. They are so busy that they go to fast food restaurants instead of eating healthy meals at home. Parents need to be more observant with their children and what they eat; they need to be better role models for their children as well. (Palmer) The obesity in children has severe health risks. Until Americans stop themselves from going to fast food places the problem of obesity in the US will not go away.…
- 549 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The Government had set out a ban to prevent junk food from being sold to children at canteens. Mark Fraser had written a letter to a newspaper company called Community Chronicle on the 29th of October 2010 to share his disbelief at the government's vain attempt to prevent obesity. Throughout this piece, he uses an attacking tone. He aims to target the audience of parents with children in schools to agree with him on his contention that this vain attempt will not benefit the children.…
- 588 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Although advertisers and the media have a huge impact on the issue of childhood obesity, the parents have the final call on what their children eat and don’t eat. It is the parents who give in to their children’s whining and give them what they want just to please them. Childhood obesity starts when the children are old enough to realize that they can get their way when they cry for something. It is the parents’ responsibility to lead by example and teach their children healthy eating habits at a young age. If the parents have unhealthy eating habits and include fast food and fried food in their diet on a regular basis, it is likely that their children will do the same. Kids will get accustomed to eating whatever is made available for them…
- 1042 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
The nature of childhood obesity is growing at a fast rate since two decades ago. People are finding more and more children at risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes since the media has focused on children eating more sugar and fast food in their diets. However, media is sending subliminal messages to kids through commercial and tricking them to convince parents to buy bad junk food. Therefore, Parents need to regulate how much television and fatty food their children watch and eat.…
- 1659 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays