The more we watch, the more we eat.
Child obesity has been a dynamic topic for America as rates for obesity have hit the roof. Since 1980, numbers for childhood obesity have hit an all-time high. When referring to childhood, these rates include ages 2-19, where although still high in ages 2-11, the highest rate of obesity focuses on ages 12-19. According to an article titled Childhood Obesity Facts, the definition of overweight is defined as having access body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water or a combination of all these factors. This might mean someone 4 feet 11 inches weighing 160 pounds would probably be considered overweight, while someone 5 feet 11 inches weighing the same 160 pounds would most likely be right …show more content…
It is important to understand why this is. Children are products of learned behavior. Of course, there are those that will argue the Nature vs. Nurture issue, but the matter of fact is that they’re both important. In speaking on learned behavior, a child will only feel the need to continuously have McDonalds for dinner because that is what the kids on Television were having. McDonalds for dinner has become the norm due to advertising. Imagine one child experiencing the advertisement, craving the product, complaining to mom about not having it, mom giving in and then finally getting it. Now imagine an entire classroom of 36 students doing this, because they were all watching the same channel at the same time. Those who didn’t get their way with mom, are going to school and realizing “everyone else had McDonalds for dinner last night, I need to try harder on mom!” and the cycle continues. These children are often not educated on how bad these fast food meals can be for their growth and development. This is also an aspect parents need to be educated on. While working with kids, observations have shown that those that are heavier are more likely to admit they had “McDonalds for dinner last night” rather than those who are smaller and more active. …show more content…
Does Advertising on Television Cause Childhood Obesity? A
Longitudinal Analysis. Journal Of Public Policy & Marketing [serial online]. Fall2013 2013;32(2):185-194. Available from: Business Source Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 29, 2016.
Communities. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2016, from http://www.healthykidshealthycommunities.org/communities Dunn R. The Effect of Fast-Food Availability on Obesity: An Analysis by Gender, Race, and
Residential Location. American Journal Of Agricultural Economics [serial online]. July 2010;92(4):1149-1164. Available from: Business Source Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 29, 2016.
Frechette, S. The Effect of Television Food Advertising on Children’s Preferences, Demands, and Intake of High-Fat and Low-Nutrient Products. Annals Of Spiru Haret University, Journalism Studies [serial online]. January 2016;17(1):30-40. Available from: Communication & Mass Media Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 29, 2016.
Frechette, S. Food Marketing as a Relevant Determinant of Childhood Obesity: The Link
Between Exposure to TV Food Advertising and Children’s Body Weight. Annals Of Spiru Haret University, Journalism Studies[serial online]. July 2015;16(2):25-31. Available from: November 29,
Child obesity has been a dynamic topic for America as rates for obesity have hit the roof. Since 1980, numbers for childhood obesity have hit an all-time high. When referring to childhood, these rates include ages 2-19, where although still high in ages 2-11, the highest rate of obesity focuses on ages 12-19. According to an article titled Childhood Obesity Facts, the definition of overweight is defined as having access body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water or a combination of all these factors. This might mean someone 4 feet 11 inches weighing 160 pounds would probably be considered overweight, while someone 5 feet 11 inches weighing the same 160 pounds would most likely be right …show more content…
It is important to understand why this is. Children are products of learned behavior. Of course, there are those that will argue the Nature vs. Nurture issue, but the matter of fact is that they’re both important. In speaking on learned behavior, a child will only feel the need to continuously have McDonalds for dinner because that is what the kids on Television were having. McDonalds for dinner has become the norm due to advertising. Imagine one child experiencing the advertisement, craving the product, complaining to mom about not having it, mom giving in and then finally getting it. Now imagine an entire classroom of 36 students doing this, because they were all watching the same channel at the same time. Those who didn’t get their way with mom, are going to school and realizing “everyone else had McDonalds for dinner last night, I need to try harder on mom!” and the cycle continues. These children are often not educated on how bad these fast food meals can be for their growth and development. This is also an aspect parents need to be educated on. While working with kids, observations have shown that those that are heavier are more likely to admit they had “McDonalds for dinner last night” rather than those who are smaller and more active. …show more content…
Does Advertising on Television Cause Childhood Obesity? A
Longitudinal Analysis. Journal Of Public Policy & Marketing [serial online]. Fall2013 2013;32(2):185-194. Available from: Business Source Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 29, 2016.
Communities. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2016, from http://www.healthykidshealthycommunities.org/communities Dunn R. The Effect of Fast-Food Availability on Obesity: An Analysis by Gender, Race, and
Residential Location. American Journal Of Agricultural Economics [serial online]. July 2010;92(4):1149-1164. Available from: Business Source Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 29, 2016.
Frechette, S. The Effect of Television Food Advertising on Children’s Preferences, Demands, and Intake of High-Fat and Low-Nutrient Products. Annals Of Spiru Haret University, Journalism Studies [serial online]. January 2016;17(1):30-40. Available from: Communication & Mass Media Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 29, 2016.
Frechette, S. Food Marketing as a Relevant Determinant of Childhood Obesity: The Link
Between Exposure to TV Food Advertising and Children’s Body Weight. Annals Of Spiru Haret University, Journalism Studies[serial online]. July 2015;16(2):25-31. Available from: November 29,