...Fast Food Advertising And Childhood Obesity A rise in obesity has been observed in the United States in the last two decades. Obesity is one problem that gives birth to numerous fatal diseases, including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a survey and found that, “More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese” (Ogden, Carroll). One of the main reasons behind obesity is the American’s love for fast food. Fast food contains only a small proportion of essential nutrients, and is loaded with unhealthy and non-essential nutrients which do nothing but contribute to obesity and resulting diseases. An equally increasing trend has been observed in the openings of new fast food locations. The fact sheet issued by National Restaurant Association shows that “970,000 new fast food locations were opened in year 2012 and the restaurant-industry share of each food dollar spent stands at 48%” (2012 forecast). Those parents who know about the adverse effects of fast food consumption try their best to keep their children away from it. But no matter how hard they try to shield their children, some negative forces like advertising provides them a complete exposure to such unhealthy food. A kid may never have eaten a McDonald’s hamburger, but he/she definitely knows what it looks like, thanks to the power of...
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...Advertising and Childhood Obesity 1 The Link Between Advertising and Manufacturing Tactics and Childhood Obesity Author School Name Advertising and Childhood Obesity 2 Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States, thanks in part to fast food advertising and manufacturing tactics, and this has resulted in more children diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol and long term psychological problems. Humans have continually adapted to the ever-changing variables in our environment. One of the most vital of these variables is food. Long ago, the frequency and quantity of our food intake were directly dependent on what we could hunt or forage. Today, in most first world countries, food is no longer a precious commodity to be saved and stored. Fast and convenient foods are never more than a few minutes away. These low-hanging fruits are in fact, far from being simple fruits. They are cheap, tasty, addictive, processed and nutritionally devoid - and they are being marketed directly to children. It's these advertising and manufacturing techniques that are largely contributing to the epidemic of childhood obesity here in the United States. A disturbingly high number of children are being diagnosed with a host of food-related problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and long term psychological issues. Thanks in part to the highly effective advertising and manufacturing tactics used by fast food giants, American fast food culture has spread...
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...Title Fast-Food Restaurant Advertising on Television and Its Influence on Childhood Obesity Author Shin-Yi Chou, Lehigh University and National Bureau of Economic Research Inas Rashad, Georgia State University Michael Grossman, City University of New York Graduate Center and National Bureau of Economic Research Introduction Childhood obesity around the world, and particularly in the United States, is an escalating problem that has received much attention of late. In less than thirty years, the prevalence of overweight children and adolescents in America has more than doubled. In the 1963-1970 period, 4 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years and 5 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 19 were defined as being overweight. The percentage of children who are overweight has more than tripled by 1999, reaching 13 percent. For adolescents, the incidence of overweight has nearly tripled in the same period, reaching 14 percent (Centers for Disease Control 2001). Finding the causes of this dramatic increase in obesity among children and adolescents is an important input in designing prevention policies. On the simplest level, weight gain is caused by more energy intake than energy expenditure over a long period of time. The problem of energy imbalance is not purely due to genetics, since our genes have not changed substantially during the past two decades. Researchers have tended to focus on environmental factors such as the availability of highly palatable and calorie-dense fast...
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...Do parents need to take control of childhood obesity? Looking at Childhood Obesity Statistics and Various Causes RJ Mcckleene Western Governors University WGU Student ID# 109456 Do parents need to take control of childhood obesity? Childhood obesity has been increasing over the last 2-3 decades at an alarming rate. The U.S. Surgeon General says that in the last two decades the percentages of overweight children has tripled (“Surgeon General’s call”, 2012). Being obese can affect more than just health. For a child, being obese can cause physical, social, and psychological damage, and can ultimately affect the child’s overall quality of life which can follow the child into adulthood (Maziak, Ward, & Stockton, 2007). The food industry has not made significant improvements to production or food marketing toward children. Therefore parents must take control of childhood obesity to help with a better future for America’s youth. Research suggests that childhood obesity rates will continue to rise because children are targeted by marketing strategies, the food industry is not showing signs that substantial changes to marketing and production targeting youth that are needed will happen any time in the near future and also because the evolution of society has aided in creating a sedentary lifestyle. Health and government officials have seen alarming statics in the increase of childhood obesity rates. The increase and health concerns have had severe enough increases...
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...The Impact of Television Food Advertising on Childhood Obesity Lara Klein Abstract Childhood obesity is a growing problem around the world, especially in the United State that is notably harmful as its effects are not only temporary but can have long term effects that can be taken into adulthood. Children’s food preferences are influenced by television advertising that focuses directly at children. It is furthermore concluded that children exposed to high amounts of television advertisements make poor food choices which leads to poor food consumption. Among other factors, parental influence is also critical and can change a child’s behavior towards food advertisement and food choices. Parents should look out to communicate advertisements’ effects to their children, and restrict the amount of time their children spend in front of the television. Moreover, governmental restrictions should be implemented to avoid persuasion of buying unhealthy foods to children at younger ages. The Impact of Television Food Advertising on Childhood Obesity INTRODUCTION According to Bacardi-Gascon and Jimenez-Cruz (2015), childhood obesity is a very serious topic in the United States these days, causing long term economic and social costs due to serious health problems, as well as an increase in morbidity and mortality. Research conducted by Bernhardt, Wilking, Gilbert-Diamond, Emond and Sargent has shown that the more television children watch, the likelihood that they are obese increases...
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...Childhood Obesity ENG/215 May 5, 2014 Childhood Obesity Introduction Over the recent decades, obesity has grown into major health problem in the United States. Obesity rates have increased over the past thirty years. With over 31 percent of the population obese, the United States has become the fattest country with the highest rate of obesity in the world. Obesity is not only an adult problem, it has now become an epidemic among children and teenagers. One out of every three children in the United States is obese. Eating habits that children learn when they are young affects them in later in their life. Obese children are more likely to become obese adults than healthy weight children. Childhood obesity can lead to many health problems that include diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure to name a few. These health problems cause a rise in health care costs. There are factors that play a role in causing these health issues, but there are also simple solutions to solve this epidemic among the young. The Effects of Advertising and the Media One of the factors that contribute to childhood obesity is the media and their way of marketing and advertising, especially towards children. Children spend more time watching television and using a computer than previous generations. Children from the ages of eight to 18 use media every day, and spend on average 44.5 hours per week using a computer, playing video games, and watching television. "Most children...
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...Is There a Link Between Childhood Obesity & Advertising? According to the Centers for Disease Control (2007), the rate of obesity among children between the ages of six and eleven in the United States has increased about five times compared with the rate in the 1970s. There are over nine million children in the U.S. today between the ages of six and eleven who are considered to be obese (Yu 87). The real question is what is the exact cause of obesity in children today? Some people believe there is a link between the advertising children see on TV and obesity. There are many factors that lead to childhood obesity. Children and adolescents, who are obese, are usually caused by several things. Here are some of the factors that together may contribute to childhood obesity: lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, genetics, social factors, media, and the environment. Most factors of obesity do not work alone and solely targeting only one of those factors may not make a huge impact on this ever growing problem ("Childhood Obesity"). I will be explaining some of the reason that I believe contribute to the obesity issue. The first cause that I will be talking about is advertising. The television market spends $10 billion on advertising in the hopes of influencing children (Zimmerman 336). The most common product advertised on TV is food ads. During Saturday morning cartoons children will be exposed to one commercial pertaining to food around every five minutes (Zimmerman...
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...CASE 27 McDonald’s and Obesity THE PROBLEM Governments and influential health advocates around the world, spooked that their nations’ kids will become as fat as American kids, are cracking down on the marketers they blame for the explosion in childhood obesity. Across the globe, efforts are under way to slow the march of obesity. In the United States, roughly 30 percent of American children are overweight or obese. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 64.5 percent of Americans tip the scales as overweight or obese, the highest percentage of fat people of any country in the world. However, adults and kids in other countries are catching up. THE WORLD The World Heart Federation reports that globally there are now more than 1 billion overweight adults and that at least 400 million of those are obese. An estimated 155 million children are overweight worldwide including 30–45 million who are obese.1 In many countries, the worst increases in obesity have occurred in young people. About half a million children in Europe are suffering classic middle-aged health problems because they are too fat. Obesity among European children has been on the rise over the last 25 years. The number of overweight children in Europe did not change much from 1974 to 1984; then the rate started to creep up during the next 10 years, and it exploded after 1995. In Britain, one in five children is overweight or obese; in Spain 30 percent;...
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...percent tax on their ad budgets. 3. Propose a strategy for McDonald’s to pay the tax or add health messages, and defend your recommendation. 4. If there is no evidence that obesity rates fall in those countries that ban food advertising to children, why bother? 5. The broad issue facing McDonald’s U.K. is the current attitude toward rising obesity. The company seems to have tried many different approaches to deal with the problem, but the problem persists. List all the problems facing McDonald’s and critique its various approaches to solve the problems. 6. Based on your response to Question 4, recommend both a short-range and long-range plan for McDonald’s to implement. McDonald's and Obesity McDonald's and Obesity People around the world are spooked that their children will become as overweight as American children. In the US, roughly 30% of children are overweight or obese while 64.5% of Americans are overweight or obese, which is the highest ratio in the world. Obesity rates in children are rising in other countries with one out of five children in Britain, 30% of Spain, and 36% in Italy. Experts believe that the number of obese children will double over the next ten years. Much of the blame is being put on fast food giant McDonald’s for offering portion sizes that are too large and advertising directed at children. Some people have compared Ronald McDonald to Camel’s former mascot Joe Camel. This raises the question whether or not McDonald’s should keep Ronald as...
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...Running head: Childhood Obesity in America: A Super-sized Problem That Plagues Our Society 1 Childhood Obesity in America: A Super-sized Problem That Plagues Our Society Elizabeth Widmeyer Western Governors University Childhood Obesity in America: A Super-sized Problem That Plagues Our Society 2 Childhood Obesity in America: A Super-sized Problem That Plagues Our Society Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in America's society that is having an astronomical impact on the health of our children and our health care system. But, what exactly does it mean to label a child obese? According to Mayo Clinic (2014) “Obesity is a complex disorder involving an excessive amount of body fat.” Body fat is measured using the body mass index (BMI). A child's BMI is calculated by dividing their height by their weight. The calculation would then be graphed with their age in months to determine their growth percentile (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001). A child is considered obese if they are in the 95th percentile or higher . A child who falls in the 85th - 95th is considered overweight and is at risk of becoming obese (KidsHealth, n.d.). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) there are 12.5 million Americans between the ages of 2 to 19 that are obese. Race, physical activity level and eating habits are three main components that can lead to obesity in children. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services...
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...CASE 27 McDonald’s and Obesity THE PROBLEM Governments and influential health advocates around the world, spooked that their nations’ kids will become as fat as American kids, are cracking down on the marketers they blame for the explosion in childhood obesity. Across the globe, efforts are under way to slow the march of obesity. In the United States, roughly 30 percent of American children are overweight or obese. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 64.5 percent of Americans tip the scales as overweight or obese, the highest percentage of fat people of any country in the world. However, adults and kids in other countries are catching up. THE WORLD The World Heart Federation reports that globally there are now more than 1 billion overweight adults and that at least 400 million of those are obese. An estimated 155 million children are overweight worldwide including 30–45 million who are obese.1 In many countries, the worst increases in obesity have occurred in young people. About half a million children in Europe are suffering classic middle-aged health problems because they are too fat. Obesity among European children has been on the rise over the last 25 years. The number of overweight children in Europe did not change much from 1974 to 1984; then the rate started to creep up during the next 10 years, and it exploded after 1995. In Britain, one in five children is overweight or obese; in Spain 30 percent;...
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...CASE 27 McDonald’s and Obesity THE PROBLEM Governments and influential health advocates around the world, spooked that their nations’ kids will become as fat as American kids, are cracking down on the marketers they blame for the explosion in childhood obesity. Across the globe, efforts are under way to slow the march of obesity. In the United States, roughly 30 percent of American children are overweight or obese. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 64.5 percent of Americans tip the scales as overweight or obese, the highest percentage of fat people of any country in the world. However, adults and kids in other countries are catching up. THE WORLD The World Heart Federation reports that globally there are now more than 1 billion overweight adults and that at least 400 million of those are obese. An estimated 155 million children are overweight worldwide including 30–45 million who are obese.1 In many countries, the worst increases in obesity have occurred in young people. About half a million children in Europe are suffering classic middle-aged health problems because they are too fat. Obesity among European children has been on the rise over the last 25 years. The number of overweight children in Europe did not change much from 1974 to 1984; then the rate started to creep up during the next 10 years, and it exploded after 1995. In Britain, one in five children is overweight or obese; in Spain 30 percent;...
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...Childhood Obesity David Sholl Western Governors University Task 3 Childhood Obesity Part A: Description of the Problem The primary focus of the literature review will be childhood obesity among American children between the ages of five and eighteen years. Most parents are not aware that their children have problems until they become overweight. For instance, in a survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2011, about 49% of American parents believed that their children were of average size. However, after physical examinations, a team of physicians classified them as overweight. Central adiposity is one of the symptoms of childhood obesity. Children with excessive accumulation of fat around the abdominal area are either overweight or obese. Inability to cope with abrupt physical activities is another symptom. Numerous studies indicate that overweight children have diminished physical stamina because their bodies carry excess weight. Snoring is the other notable symptom of childhood obesity. As fat accumulates around the neck region, it obstructs the windpipe leading to snoring among children. Childhood obesity is now a pandemic in the U.S, and has become a national health crisis. One in every three children in America aged between two and eighteen years are considered overweight or obese. The life-threatening problems of obesity create a critical and compelling call for action that should not be ignored. According to numerous sources obesity is related...
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...The damaging influence of advertising on children can be reduced. Academic Reading and Writing Course EWR 1211 July 1, 2009 Outline Title: The damaging influence of advertising on children can be reduced. I. Introduction Thesis statement: As advertising causes childhood obesity, which can lead to serious diseases, government and schools should take urgent actions to improve the situation. II. Background of the problem 1. Marketing Industry 2. Children 3. Increased risk of being overweight and its serious consequences III. Solution one The first possible solution is that government should restrict the attack of food marketing on kids. A. Advantages 1. Decreased number of commercials 2. Elimination of junk food marketing B. Disadvantages 1. “The system has kinks” 2. Difficulties in identifying junk foods 3. Limitation of democracy IV. Solution two Another feasible solution that schools should create a healthy environment. A. Advantages 1. Availability of healthful foods 2. Improvement in kids’ diets 3. Connection with local farmers 4. Health education 5. Promotion of nutritional products 6. Decreased rate of obesity B. Disadvantages 1. Long cafeteria lines, not enough time for lunch, noise 2. Accessibility of competitive foods 3. Schools’ fundraising V. Conclusion To sum up, due to the negative...
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... The Fast Food Epidemic On Health In today's society, fast food has become a large part of many American's lives. With the rising numbers of obese people, it is hard not to draw a correlation between the increase in fast food and obesity. Most obese people don’t want to be obese and wish they could lose weight, yet they continue to struggle with their fast food intake and obesity. This is due to the advertising done on the consumers, the highly addictive food itself, and most importantly, how advertising and addiction combine with children to form habits that are kept once they become adults. These factors are the reasons that fast food restaurants are to blame for the rising obesity and health risks across America. The government needs to step in and place regulations on these fast food restaurants so they will stop taking advantage of people's weaknesses. Before it can be gone into detail about how fast food companies are to blame for people over eating their food, it first must be proven that fast food is indeed the main problem causing today's obesity in America. It is known to many people how the number of fast food restaurants in America has increased tremendously over the past several decades, but it is difficult to calculate by how much due to the lack of historic statistics. Also, it is difficult whether or not to categorize certain restaurants as fast food. Although...
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