Fat Kids: Junk Food Ads Not To Blame

Dan Jaffe of the Association of National Advertisers provides some compelling arguments against the theory that advertising causes childhood obesity. (via Adrants)

Jaffe concludes that food and restaurant commercials aimed at kids have been declining:

The number of food and restaurant commercials seen annually by children 12 and under, for example, peaked at nearly 6,000 in 1994 but declined by over 13% over the next 10 years.

He also points out that "In Sweden and Quebec, for example, they banned all food advertising, yet their obesity rates are not lower than many societies that have no such restrictions and substantial rates of food advertising."

It would be utterly simplistic to blame childhood obesity problems on TV advertising - surely it is just a very small piece of the puzzle. For example, researchers in Philadelphia have been mapping all of the "food opportunities" between home and school. How many doughnut shops, and fried chicken outlets does a kid pass on his way home from school?

I would also question how and why does the child have the disposable cash to spend on this food? And even if there is healthier fare on offer do the kids want it?

Here's this anecdote from one such food outlet closeby a school-route:

They [the kids] skipped the fruit salads and left with four 25-cent bags of snacks.

Antonio said he and his brother were headed home to "eat it and watch TV."

Stopping food advertising won't make kids skinnier.

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