American children have been supersized indeed. As recent films (Supersize Me, Fast Food Nation) suggest, the relationship between childhood obesity and fast food marketing may be a positive correlation of cataclysmic proportions. The World Advertising Research Center reports that 16% of American children are obese (not just chubby), and food/beverage advertising has been blamed for this undesirable growth in kiddy girth.
All fast food chain advertising has been under scrutiny in recent years for one thing or another--errant health claims, price point wars, distasteful creative strategies, unfair competitive claims, just to name a few. Rarely, however, do you see kids (in TV ads anyway) gorging on burgers or stuffing faces with french fries. Indeed, the fast food nutritionists have been busy finding new kinds of cooking methods to avoid trans fats, so the fast food emphasis has been on screen-size close ups of juicy burgers or happy families eating salads with Ronald McDonald.
The Federal Trade Commission is monitoring self-regulatory guidelines to avoid corporate squealing around health issues, but most fast food brand leaders are concerned about the longterm effects of boycotts, dietary changes, and the cost of changing the food chain paradigm.
The real question--from an advertising perspective--is how influential all this advertising for burgers, fried chicken and shakes? Does a commercial lead the horse (or child) to water (unhealthy food)? Is the messenger to blame?
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I think that, yes, the obesity situation in the U.S. is the result of numerous factors, including fast food. The problem is how to balance government protecting individuals from behavior or products that could harm them when used in excess (by regulatory standards on the product or its promotion), VERSUS, an individual's freedom to over-indulge in all kinds of excesses, if that's one's choice? Secondly, government regulation perhaps makes more sense when it comes to protecting children, such as car seats. So for those wanting government oversight of food or media advertising related to the problem of fat kids, then I'll bet they'd have a more supportive audience of regulators, elected officials, and voters.
I think the advertising is influential, but I also think you have a choice to choose fast food or something healthy. The commercial can lead a child to unhealthy food, but the child needs to be taught to pick the healthy choice. I don’t think the message is to blame because the advertisers are just doing their job.
-Jen Robles
To say that advertising is the cause of obesity in American children is ridiculous. As professor Mullen stated there are numerous factors that bring on this result. I personally believe that the blame can and should be placed on the parents. The parents are making the decisions on what their children eat, how they spend their free time and basically set the tone of the overall state of health in the house hold. Sure there are a lot of fast-food ads, but the advertisements don't drive to the restaurant, buy the food and feed it to the kids. To pass the blame of this problem onto advertising is jsut another form of the original problem at hand, laziness!
I do not think that advertising has much to do with what we eat. Each person controls theirself and it has nothing to do with what you might see. You can't blame them because it isn't their fault. Who gets in the car and drives to fastfood? Who needs to go there because they don't want to eat healthy? Each person has their own will and that determines wheather or not they go to a fast food place instead of a sandwitch shop. It's up to each person to change and go somewhere else.
I don't think that advertising is to blame for obese children. Children learn by example. A child can't drive themselves to McDonald's and get a cheeseburger. The parent has to do it. I think if anyone is to blamee here, it's the parents of these obese kids. Those parents need to show their kids how to eat right, cook them a decent meal instead of going out to a fast food restuarant and then blaming those same resturants for advertising. Advertisors get paid to advertise, it's their job. Parents should be the ones under scrutiny for their obese kid, not the fast food place their mom or dad took them to that day.
I believe that the go, go ,go mentality that Americans have is the leading contributer to the obesity epidemic.
When a single mom gets home from a 9 hour day at work, dealing with god knows what, the last thing she wants to do is cook for her kids. 1 or 4 kids, it's tha same, she still does not want to cook, yet is a bit more willing the larger the family. It can get expensaivee to eat out too often.
The average number of kids per family has dropped and as a result, who wants to cook a nice meal for two people.
My mom and I are the only ones in our house, there is no way either of us are going to make a salad, entree and dessert for two people. You put that effort in it, better be for a good number of people.
This also has to do with laziness. But as I mentioned earlier, divorce is at its highest and no one wants to cook for 2-3 people.
It it more common sence, then laziness, in my opinion. It seems a waist of energy to do all the work for 2 people.
If you do eat out - fast food places are savvy about the backlash and the majority of them offer some sort of salad or fruit bowl.
McDonald's offers several kinds of salads, and better, more healthy, options for kids, like milk and apple dippers, as well as ham and turkey sandwitches. Just because you eat out frquently does not mean thet obesity is in your future.
Fast food adveritsing is only one of the factors that contribute to obesity. Obesity is a growing problem in America especially in children, but americans would be exposed to far less fast food advertisements if they were not sitting in front of the tv all day
The obesity situation should not be blamed on advertising from corporate fast food america..it does play a part in the contribution to the mentality of how you can become obese however...plenty of different factors play the part..! Corporate america's fast food advertising is all part of a plan that any company would want..they are a business..right..? They want consumers to eat there product and not some other local chain..! However to all who think obesity is a problem ..take a helping hand in the situation..and ask the obese to go for a walk with you or offer to workout or go swimming with them...whether it be a kid or adult.
ANTHONY C.
I think the messenger is partly to blame because some kids see their favorite fast food commercials and so the next time they're on the road, they beg their parents to take them. But it's the parents that choose to take their kids there, so they are largely at fault too for caveing in and/or not being concerned with what their kids are eating.
The brand has the right to advertise unhealthy food, but the consumer makes the ultimate choice.
Parents first and foremost, need to be concerned with what foods they buy at the store and what restaurants they take their children to. Even be aware of what the kids order, are they ording four burritos and a large drink or something small? They can't wait for McDonald's to start advertising their healthy menu to do something about their child's obesity.
But even if McDonald's and other fast foods started advertising healthy foods, I don't know how effective it would be on children, they're more than likely going to want a burger and fries.
When it comes to children being "obese" and blaming it on the advertisements, I think it’s a little ridiculous. Go to the root of the problem, who is feeding these kids the food? The parents! The parents of these children are not caring for their health if making dinner is going through McDonalds drive thru. Obesity in children is lack of parent’s attention. I agree that sometimes, it could be a last resort, but bedsides that, cook some dinner. If these kids are inactive watching all the advertisements on television and eating fast food, something is wrong. When a kid have other interest other than TV and fast food such as playing outside and a sandwich, their parents are teaching paying poor attention to them. I believe for this problem we blame parents not the companies and advertisements. The companies and advertisements are just doing their job, the parents are not.
-Jessica Bravo
The advertising today is not helping these kids with eating healthy. I like how it said that the big head guys on top of the big corporations are worried about people going against the company. But in all reality people have been going against the giant unhealthy food chains for along time but they just didn't have a big enough voice. Now that obesity is a wide spread problem throughout the United States , now people want to take action and so alternates in food and in everyday life. A lot of people will say that there is a parent and then there is the child, meaning that the parents need to set a good example for the children and show them that fast food isn't the healthy choice. So many parents today are taking the easy way out by just going around the corner to a McDonald's or Burger King because they don't want to deal with their children. And the reason the child wants those fries form that place or that juicy burger from that other place it is all because of those wonderful fast food commercials. Children today don't want the toys in the happy meals because they want the big giant burger with the big giant fries and that big giant wonderful coke and maybe the kids will cry to get the toy anyway without getting that meal.
Advertizing for fast food is definently a factor for the choosing of food. But its not the only reason for obesity in America. Obviously fast food is a tasty treat for some, but we eat at these places because it is convenient and requires less work. The advertizing of burgers and fries isnt the only thing making children and adults obese, but rather the decision to eat unhealthily- instead of for good health. The government isnt responsible for this, but I think banning trans fats was a positive move.
I thin fast food chains have exploited America isearch of making a dollar. I myself am not a huge fan of fast food, but I also understand just how easy it can be. Obesity has become a problem in this country and will continue that way, unless restrictions are set in place. In households with two working parents it is so easy for them to say screw it and spend a few bucks on a fast food meal, however they are setting their children up for a lifetime of troubles by doing this. I think that it is impossible to get rid of fast food chains, but informing parents of the problems that may come of feeding their kids fast food is essential
This works both ways. First off, the advertisers, man they are good. Those pictures of the fries look awesome, and that burger looks perfect and delectibale. They get to you, make you crave it, and and get you in the store. This is where the second part of the attack happens. This is where you are asked for a supersize. Who doesn't want more for a good price. You could get a regular meal for five bucks, or get a huge meal for $5.50 (hypothetically). It's a good deal, and people, especially kids, have a hard time resisting. They work together, the advertisers don't have anything to sell without the fast food companies, and the food companies don't sell without the advertisers. Together they make a great team making money and feeding you, a lot.
I have to agree that I think that the reason that obesity is such a growing epidemic in this country is due to fast food, but I think that it's terribly ridiculous that anyone should blame the advertisements for society's fatty taste in food. I'm pretty sure that everyone that is in their right mind knows that fast food is bad for you and that it is the cause of obesity. It's so unbelievably stupid that there are actually people that are saying that they are the victims because of the commercials and good food of a certain place like McDonald's when we all know that they are just giving excuses for something that can totally be controlled. Obviously, there are going to be commercials that look really good and try to sound great because they are trying to run a successful business and just like smoking it's called, try it at your own risk. We are all aware of the consequences of both smoking and over-eating yet it was our choice to do so in the first place and to continue that choice, and anyone that says differently is just trying to make themselves look like they aren't really the ones to blame even though deep down they have to know how ridiculous that is.
Company's advertising their foods is not at fault for obesity. If a child is obest i do believe it is the parents fault and they should be put in jail or something for it. If you are an adult you should have some self controll on what your putting in your body. Fast food is a once a week treat, not a everyday essentail multi viamin and mineral food place. Education is the most important thing in the world, open a book on how much better a salad is over a BIG Mac.
p.s genetics is BS, its your enviroment and what YOU make of it
The fast food industry knows that they are doing things wrong. After the whole Super Size Me movie, didnt McDonalds change the super size to just a large size? Like that makes it sound any better, you are still getting just as much junk, but with a different name on it. You always see those shows like Maury that have the parents who bring on their 2 year olds who weigh like 90 pounds. The parents are always saying "well they cry and cry if i dont give them that cookie or burger they want so i just give it to them so i dont feel bad". There is the problem. Not only is the problem that most of the fast food advertising is directed towards children is that fact that the parents are letting their kids get whats in those commericals. A kid cant really go out and buy themselves a big mac, its the parent that is supplying it. So therefore i think it is mostly a parental problem, even though the advertising has a lot to do with it too.
The messenger is not to blame at all, it is technology. Too many kids are in the house playing video games and watching television. Too many kids are online all day. What I miss about being a kid is being able to go outside and be active and not having to worry about technology, my phone, or my e-mail. Kids need to be kids, and parents should have their kids eating healthy and staying active in after school programs. Advertising is not to blame. Bad parenting is. Parents should be responsible for giving their children the right foods and they should also demonstrate healthy eating habits for their kids to follow. Fast food is okay in moderation. Too many parents get lazy and don't cook and then go buy their children happy meals instead of wholesome nutritious meals.
Joann Babbitt
I had a chance to watch Supersize Me, and it was quite interesting. And even though the movie had valid points and proved many things, I don't believe that the advertising of fast food is to blame for the increased number of obesity. One of my closest friends doesn't eat any type of fast food because her mother is a nutritionist, so when she sees such advertising she isn't effected by what she sees, its just another fast food place that would make her sick. I believe that children are taught from experience, be from their friends or from their family.
My friend grew up eating healthy because of her mom, so what is to say that the new rise in obesity isn't caused from their families.
Kelli Kavinsky
"Don't kill the messenger." What were overlooking is that the goal of these fast food companies is to make money, point blank period. If they're not making money, they're losing. And they are making money from not the obese kids, but from their parents. When kids see a big mac on TV they can't grab their keys and hop into their car and drive down to McDonalds to pick one up. They have to go through their parents to get to the fast food. And once again were arguing the parent's responsibilities in raising their children because it seems that were giving parents less and less responsiblity and wanting to blame everything on the media. The fast food chains are doing nothing wrong. And if you think they are, you wont make it in advertising.
Marcus Hunter MCCNM 101
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