Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Junk Food Ads Influence Eating Habits

The Kaiser Family Foundation has released a report which shows that children and teenagers are subjected to dozen of hours of food commercials every year; nearly 41 hours for teens between the ages of 13 and 17.
"That might not be a problem if the ads promoted healthy fare. But the report, the largest over conducted on food marketing to children and teens, highlights how TV commercials mostly tout junk food."
One-third of the commercials promoted candy and snacks, 28 percent were for cereals, and 10 percent were for fast food. Though many countries regulate food advertising, the United States isn't one of the. Which means the regulating is up to the parents. Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Obesity Program at Children's Hospital in Boston, recommends that parents limit their children's television watching to as little as a half-hour a day. Read more at DallasNews.com.

Labels: junk food, marketing, media influences

Posted By: Aspen Education Group