Daniel Weintraub, in the article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home” (2002), argues that parents, not outside influences, are responsible for the growing obesity epidemic in children and are in the best position to affect a positive change. Weintraub supports his claim by providing statistical, as well as personal, evidence to prove who’s overweight, why they’re overweight, and who’s in the best position to prevent it. The author’s purpose is to inform and persuade parents to reconsider the nutritional value of the food they are feeding their children in order to encourage parents to stimulate healthy lifestyles. The author writes in a formal tone for parents of school age children. Although Weintraub acknowledges that parents’
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But why are all these advertisements focused on the youth? David Barboza, writer of “If You Pitch It, They Will Eat” (2003), quotes Karlin Linhardt, the director of youth marketing at McDonald’s, who professes, “[Children are] the biggest market there is. [...] Kids 4 to 12 spend on their own wants and needs about $30 billion a year” (15). Being the largest, and most juvenile, group leaves them vulnerable to the assertions that fast food companies plant within their minds. This generation of kids is accustom to having characters, such as Ronald McDonald, on their television screens and seeing company mascots, such as Jack from Jack in the Box, on local billboards. These characters have an impact on this age group; what child would not want to go to a restaurant that a famous clown endorses? Not only do children spend a mass amount of money, “but their influence on what their parents spend is $600 billion” (Barboza, 15). Children are a major influence on what their parents purchase, due to the parents want to please them. When big food companies insert themselves into a child’s everyday life, the child is more likely to choose their products over competitors who don’t heavily advertise. This creates more of a profit for the company, inducing them to push out more advertisement to the youth. Children are the main focus in most of …show more content…
What they don’t talk about are the climbing obesity rates due to these advertisements. In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater” (2002), author David Zinczenko avows, “Fast food companies are marketing to children a product with proven health hazards and no warning labels” (10). When the media represents a company, they only want to promote the low prices and tasty food, but they don’t recognize the effects of their products. The wrong message is reoccurring sent throughout America that it’s reasonable to eat their food often, dragging obesity rates up. The food that these companies protrudes to young minds is incompatible with the food in the lifestyles they should be maintaining. This is creating an obesity epidemic within children, that is growing nonstop in the United States. In all honesty, there needs to be a change in advertising for the rates to go down. Considering the widespread corpulence, “Street analysts are calling on big food companies to rein in their marketing campaigns and change the way they do business” (Barboza, 56). An overall impact will be left on the child population, helping them to go down the right path to lead a healthy lifestyle. The way the media approaches advertisements for the youth must change in order for this ordeal to be sorted
But why are all these advertisements focused on the youth? David Barboza, writer of “If You Pitch It, They Will Eat” (2003), quotes Karlin Linhardt, the director of youth marketing at McDonald’s, who professes, “[Children are] the biggest market there is. [...] Kids 4 to 12 spend on their own wants and needs about $30 billion a year” (15). Being the largest, and most juvenile, group leaves them vulnerable to the assertions that fast food companies plant within their minds. This generation of kids is accustom to having characters, such as Ronald McDonald, on their television screens and seeing company mascots, such as Jack from Jack in the Box, on local billboards. These characters have an impact on this age group; what child would not want to go to a restaurant that a famous clown endorses? Not only do children spend a mass amount of money, “but their influence on what their parents spend is $600 billion” (Barboza, 15). Children are a major influence on what their parents purchase, due to the parents want to please them. When big food companies insert themselves into a child’s everyday life, the child is more likely to choose their products over competitors who don’t heavily advertise. This creates more of a profit for the company, inducing them to push out more advertisement to the youth. Children are the main focus in most of …show more content…
What they don’t talk about are the climbing obesity rates due to these advertisements. In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater” (2002), author David Zinczenko avows, “Fast food companies are marketing to children a product with proven health hazards and no warning labels” (10). When the media represents a company, they only want to promote the low prices and tasty food, but they don’t recognize the effects of their products. The wrong message is reoccurring sent throughout America that it’s reasonable to eat their food often, dragging obesity rates up. The food that these companies protrudes to young minds is incompatible with the food in the lifestyles they should be maintaining. This is creating an obesity epidemic within children, that is growing nonstop in the United States. In all honesty, there needs to be a change in advertising for the rates to go down. Considering the widespread corpulence, “Street analysts are calling on big food companies to rein in their marketing campaigns and change the way they do business” (Barboza, 56). An overall impact will be left on the child population, helping them to go down the right path to lead a healthy lifestyle. The way the media approaches advertisements for the youth must change in order for this ordeal to be sorted