child obesity and unhealthy food advertising?

Question

will cutting down on advertising actually help combat childhood obesity?

is it the parents themselves that are responsible for their childs fitness?

Answer 1

Many people choose to blame the media for childhood obesity but liek anythign else, it IS primarily the parent's responsibility to 'shelter' and protect their children from harmful foods.

A good way to illustrate this would be the weather. If its raining outside, you wont send your child out to school without a raincoat or boots. You'll make sure to protect that child from the things the outside world will 'rain' down on them.

Granted, the media puts a positive spin on junk food and hides it in attractive packaging but that's the world we live in. It will never get better. Only worse. Its up to us to find creative and effective ways to deal with it.

Answer 2

I think its the parents but a product of a work driven society. Over the last few decades we have been so product oriented, technology advanced which shows a 2 part domino effect.
First we are overworked and dont have time for family anymore, or at least it hasnt become a priority anymore. Priorities lie with in how much we can work and produce and how much money we can make. By the end of the day no one has time for kids anymore. Which leads into part 2....quick and easy. Why spend and hour cooking after a long day at work when you can just pull up to the McDonalds window and get Happy Meals. Kids are coming home alone, sitting in front of the couch with a bag of Hot Cheetos.
Advertising may help but what really needs to be done is a culture shift where as we find our priorities again.

Answer 3

Childhood obesity is driven by an inner hunger - which advertisers well know - even adults are peppered with ads that suggest that FOOD will fill that inner hunger. Much easier to eat something than go find a close friend and bare your soul - which is the only thing that really feeds that inner hunger.

Advertisers should be prosecuted in my opinion, for knowingly mis-representing the truth to people - but that won't happen any time soon, at least not in the US - so only other recourse is to pay better attention to feeding the inner hunger of the kids. Us too, for that matter.

Answer 4

You can cut out all of the advertising but ultimately it is what the parents put in the shopping carts that determines what a child eats. As for parents being responsible for the childs fitness yes they are. If they bring in tons of chips and soda and candy and let the kid sit around playing video games or watching TV etc then the parent is at fault. That does not mean you shouldn't have any junk food in the house but at the same time limit what you do keep in the house and get the kid out walking places or enroll him in something to occupy his time rather than sitting at home not getting any exercise at all. Go roller skating with your child or bike ride together etc.

Answer 5

There are a combination of contributing factors that cause obesity. I think definitely advertising does encourage unhealthy eating- what's worse is that McDonalds, for example try to make there products sound healthier, by saying that the meat n chips come from good farms and are made from good ingredients. Although, parents are the ones who take there kids to McDonalds. So, if you think it is ok to take kids every week or more then that is the number one cause- you need yo do your education. It is ok to go every so often or treat kids to junk food sometimes, but you need a healthy balance. Just because you watch a junk food advert- doesn't mean you have to eat it every day!

Answer 6

I think parents are largely responsible for the fitness of their children. First of all, they should live and encourage active lifestyles and healthy eating habits. Secondly, as far as advertising goes, parents can regulate how much TV their kids are watching.

The major challenge to parents promoting healthy lifestyles is our public schools. Once the kids are in school, watching what most of the other kids eat (mostly refined carbs, processed sugary foods labeled as "healthy", and awful cafeteria food that has very little nutritional value), then the real challenge begins. I get so sick of schools boasting "healthy, nutritious meals served." Too many people are under the impression that if a meal is hot, it is healthy and nutritious.

Anyway, back to your questions...cutting down on advertising would probably help but the major factor is parental guidance.

Answer 7

I do have to say that a big part of it is the parents themselves. They have to be strong and just say NO sometimes.

I think a lot of the problem is that theres so many advertisements for food...some food has even been turned into fun and games (Fruit roll up tounge tatoos for example).... You'll hear your children cry for these foods, but when it comes down to it...Its not the children who do the grocery shopping cooking/snack preperation. Its the parents.

I think if healthier foods advertised, maybe parents would get some better ideas for filling the lunchboxes..... but in the end, they are responsible.

Answer 8

The advertising may be directed at children, so that they request particular food/drinks, but they don't shop for groceries. It is the parents job to do what is best for the children, especially when the children are brainwashed to want nothing but junk food.

Of course it's the parents' responsibility. Children aren't and can't be responsible for these decisions, until they fully understand the complexity of their situation.

Parents' have to teach their children. The most powerful way to do that is by example.

Answer 9

If they stop selling cookies, candies, and junk parents will make it for the children. The biggest problem is that America is addicted to sugar. Parents also eat this junk. My parents never feed me junk food.They took me to the gym. I am almost an adult and I don't know any better then to exercise daily and watch what I eat. It is definitely the parents responsibility to watch childs fitness!

Answer 10

I don't think advertising is the issue. Many children are overweight because their parents are and already have bad eating habits. If you don't change the entire family diet, how can you expect your children to do as you say, not as you do. Parents are responsible for their children. My mom & dad eat terribly, my husband and I eat differently and in balanced amounts. It's not the way we were raised, but it's how we want to eat (and I have a bad ulcer - medicine related) and how I have to eat.