With the increased amount of time children spend in front of a screen, youth targeted advertising has been growing and is creating poor eating habits for children. One of the biggest culprits is the fast food industry; they target children by the use of mascots, toys, and playgrounds in their restaurants. Restaurants like McDonalds have everything that a young child could desire- “bright colors, a playground, a toy, a clown, a drink with a straw, little pieces of food wrapped up like a present” (Schlosser 42). Fast food restaurants cause children to crave more than just the food. The majority of fast food costumers come from kids; for every child that nags their parents to bring them to McDonalds, the restaurant gains an additional one to two
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Many companies are using the “bliss point” to make their foods most desirable and addictive because of its sugary qualities and sweetness. The bliss point teaches children that all food should taste sugary sweet and causes them to learn poor habits. Our bodies’ naturally crave sugar. It sets off pleasure receptors in the brain that act similarly to those of drugs and the more sugar someone eats, the more they crave it. For example, the sweeter a food company makes their food, “the sweeter kids liked their food to be” (Moss). The bliss point, created by food companies, is the highest amount of sugar a company can put in their products to make it the most desirable to children and other consumers. The bliss point helps companies sell their products, however, it also teaches kids what food should taste like. Children become accustomed to eating food that is sweet that they begin to think that all food should taste this way. When food does not taste sweet, like broccoli, it is not desirable to the child and the child will go for cookies or something else to satisfy their sugary cravings (Moss). Use of the bliss point can be found in almost all processed foods, even ones that people assume to be healthy, like yogurt and fruit juice. The more children are exposed to sugar, the more they crave it and the more unhealthy eating habits they will
Many companies are using the “bliss point” to make their foods most desirable and addictive because of its sugary qualities and sweetness. The bliss point teaches children that all food should taste sugary sweet and causes them to learn poor habits. Our bodies’ naturally crave sugar. It sets off pleasure receptors in the brain that act similarly to those of drugs and the more sugar someone eats, the more they crave it. For example, the sweeter a food company makes their food, “the sweeter kids liked their food to be” (Moss). The bliss point, created by food companies, is the highest amount of sugar a company can put in their products to make it the most desirable to children and other consumers. The bliss point helps companies sell their products, however, it also teaches kids what food should taste like. Children become accustomed to eating food that is sweet that they begin to think that all food should taste this way. When food does not taste sweet, like broccoli, it is not desirable to the child and the child will go for cookies or something else to satisfy their sugary cravings (Moss). Use of the bliss point can be found in almost all processed foods, even ones that people assume to be healthy, like yogurt and fruit juice. The more children are exposed to sugar, the more they crave it and the more unhealthy eating habits they will