What impact is food marketing having on childrens eating habits?
The American Psychological Association (APA) acknowledged in their Association Task Force Advertising and Children Report of 2004 that children under the age of eight are unable to critically comprehend televised advertising messages and are prone to accept advertiser messages as truthful, accurate and unbiased. Unfortunately, most food marketing geared towards children is used to promote highly processed, expensive, nutrient-poor food. Messages about healthy eating, which tend to have much smaller advertising budgets, get lost in the clutter. This commercial targeting of children has lifelong implications and is likely to be a factor in today’s youth obesity epidemic. Children in low-income households and in poorly funded schools tend to be disproportionately targeted by pervasive marketing of unhealthy food products.
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