Healthy & Active Pointes

Junk Food Ads Proliferate Children's TV Shows and Their Little Minds

Fighting back the war against unhealthy food and habits is not difficult, but it may require change.

Sometimes parents feel they are mounting an uphill battle in their attempts to get their children to eat right. That fight is certainly not made any easier by the advertising aired during children’s television programming that highlights greasy burgers, “fruit” rollups and high-sugar cereals. One organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics is fighting back, asking for a ban on all junk food and fast food ads airing during children’s TV shows. The group is also appealing to Congress, the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission to prevent advertisement on devices such as cell phones and for paid promotion in movies. While this may smack of “Big Brother” it also reflects just how serious the childhood obesity …

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