Food Marketing

It is almost impossible to scan through television channels or surf the web without running into food marketing and advertisements. Whether it is commercials for greasy, cheap fast food or an advertisement for a local farmer’s market, food marketing is prevalent in all of our lives. In fact, studies show that less than 1% of food marketing deals with fruits and vegetables, about 40% focuses on fast food and another 51% promotes sugary drinks, sugary cereals, candy and unhealthy snacks that are full of sugar.

Oftentimes, we blindly watch television, not even realizing that information about various foods are being put into our heads. Food marketing however, has been proven very influential in the lives of people of the world, and increasingly so in the United States youth. Today, research shows that approximately 20% of preschoolers living in the United States are obese. This number is shockingly high, as childhood obesity is a serious public health problem that increases morbidity, mortality, and has substantial long-term economic and social costs in the lives of our youth. These children then grow up to be adults with poor habits that lead them to live lives with poor nutrition. With the amount of fast food chains that targeting children in their marketing schemes, could food marketing be to blame for the high amounts of childhood obesity in the United States today?

With every new technology, kids are gaining more and more access to media and companies that can target them with their marketing strategies. Every hour a child watches Television, their likelihood of obesity goes up! This could be related to the lack of exercise associated with watching TV or the large amount of television commercials that draw in children to devour their meals with extreme lacks in nutritional value. On children’s television networks, nearly 50% of all commercials are food advertisements. Vendors target the youth through packaging, giveaways and contests as well as product placement in movies, TV shows, and video games.

In reality, what kind of child wouldn’t want a “Happy Meal” that comes with fried chicken, french fries, chocolate milk and even a toy? These unhealthy options are being countered by the occasional choice to upgrade to apple slices or water; however, by drawing children in, fast food companies are playing a large role in the increase of obesity in the United States. Companies, such as McDonalds use characters in their advertisements to actively capture the attention of their younger audience. By grabbing the attention of children, these companies increase their revenue and attract families that contain people of all ages.

In order to resolve this issue, there needs to be regulations set on what companies can and cannot market and advertise for, specifically when advertising on networks that cater to our youth. This could also be achieved by increasing the amount of advertisement done for companies that offer healthier alternatives than the traditional “Happy Meal.” Without a change, the amount of cases of childhood obesity in the United States will continue to skyrocket, and so will the amount of health issues that come with an unhealthy, and innutritious diet and lifestyle. We have the ability to change the information that children are being exposed to. We can take advantage of this idea that children are spending more and more time using technology to our advantage by surrounding them with food marketing for healthy and tasty treats that will benefit them throughout their lives!