How You Can Fight Junk Food Marketing To Children?

Nutrition & Weight LossDecember 27, 2017

All types of manufacturing companies are making tremendous efforts to market their products. Junk food manufacturers are no exceptions to the rule. They have realized that children constitute their biggest market. As such, they are bombarding children with numerous treatments over the television and on the Internet.

Recent studies conducted recently have revealed that the food industry is increasingly targeting children during their efforts for marketing their products. They seem to have a ready-made market available to them with children as young as two years viewing advertisements on TV presently than they used to do about six or seven years earlier. An increase of 21% has been noticed among the children that are ready to begin school as preschoolers.

The kind of advertisements which are available for viewing on TV and over the Internet do not include packaged foodstuffs which children are attracted to in groceries and supermarkets. Children are today more exposed to advertisements of snack foods and are even beginning to eat more because of the influence of food marketing. The commercials seemed to be training the children to feel the ads and make demands for the food.

“By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.” —David H. Murdock

Fight Junk Food Marketing To Children Right Away

The fight against junk food marketing can begin from home. However, there is a need for parents not to waste time and begin the battle right away. Children must be given a specific time for watching TV or for being on the Internet. This will automatically reduce the number of commercials viewed by children. This is a factor which has been confirmed by certified family life educators at Stanford.

Experts are of the opinion that children below the age of two should be discouraged from watching TV. In the case of older children, the maximum TV time should be two hours a day in the case of older children. One method that you can utilize is the use of a DVR to record special programs. That way, you will be avoiding commercials in order to limit the closure of the child to food marketing.

The Role of Parents in The Fight Against Junk Food Marketing To Children

If you decide to watch commercials with your children, then decline to purchase the junk food which is being promoted. Go ahead and comment that healthy foods are served at home. You must make the kids understand that they can eat whatever they want. As a parent, you must have the final say in these matters.

Most parents do not realize the kind of control they have over their children until they decide to exert some pressure. This is especially so when getting the children to have healthy foods. However, parents must understand that the okay party at a fast food outlet or a day of the week designated for carbonated drinks can also be allowed and should be accommodated.

Make it a point to break down information when you are watching commercials with the children. Use this time as a moment of teaching them about healthy foods. You should turn down a requestt for burger, fries, and soda, but replace that with milk, fruit or a baked potato.

“You can do good work simply staying up all night and eating nothing but junk food, but probably not in the long term.” —John Mulaney

Adopting A Proper Approach To Educate The Children

As a parent, you must understand that a single approach will not be suitable for children of all ages. You have to make constant changes to the approach you adapt according to the age of the child. Having a discussion about nutrition and not make any sense to a preschooler. However, the situation would be entirely different with a teenager because he or she can understand the subject appropriately. Commercials are commonly using athletes and popular figures to promote their products despite not being high in nutritional value. If you begin to collect information that will negate these claims, it will be easier to convince your kids. You will have begun the fight against junk food marketing to children on the proper path.