December 22, 2007

Numbers Game: Answer

According to a 2007 study by health policy research agency The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 72 percent of televised food ads aimed at teenagers are for "candy, snacks, sugary cereals, or fast food".

Alarming? Yes. Surprising? Not really. The Pear Board has 1% of the advertising budget of multinational junk food giants.

This is why nutrition and healthy eating are multi-layered problems. Many people are constantly bombared with advertisements for ultra-processed, sugar-laden foods.

Ever notice how food advertisements aimed at mothers, in particular, encourage them to pop open a box of Rice A Roni or heat up Pepperoni Hot Pockets for the kids?

Heating up a whole wheat tortilla with black beans, salsa, and some shredded cheese takes just as much time and is a lot more nutritious, but who would advertise that?

No comments: