If you ate only what is advertised on television, you would eat 25 times too much sugar and 20 times too much fat. You would also get less than half the recommended amounts of vegetables, dairy products and fruits, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Prof. Michael Mink and his colleagues at Armstrong Atlantic State University analyzed 84 hours of prime time and 12 hours of Saturday morning cartoon television to identify what foods were being promoted in advertisements. Nearly every ad was touting what the dietitians call "junk food."
"The public should be informed about the nature and extent of the buyers in televised advertising," according to the study. "Educational efforts should provide consumers with skills for distinguishing balanced food selection from imbalanced food selection."
Labels: junk food, media influences
Posted By: Jane St. Clair
