Most teens are at a developmental stage where they are still amassing the necessary skills required in the dynamic marketplace. They are innocent to a point where they believe everything aired on media channels is right, a factor that plays a significant role in determining their taste and preferences for foods. Television is a significant part of children lives in the US and marketing firms have developed persuasive food advertisements targeting children. Thus, commercials play a critical role in influencing children’s tastes and preferences are given vulnerable development stage (Arcan, Bruening & Story, 2013). Thus, it is true that food commercials have a positive impact on what children prefer to consume including ordering high sugar foods.
Food commercials encourage children to order high-fat sugary foods. Most children in the US spend a quality amount of time watching kids programs on TV. Marketers use the TV especially in between kid programs to reach kids with persuasive food adverts. The commercials utilize lids favorite cartoons and toys to draw attention to the foods (Arcan, Bruening & Story, 2013). For instance, the Weetabix ads use a dancing girl and dancing teddy bears to advertise chocolate Weetabix. The commercials broadcast on billboards in child environments such as schools and playgrounds in billboards just to get their attention. Most of the ads advertise junk for with high sugar levels such as McDonalds Cocoa puffs and Reese puffs adverts. The advertisements are exciting and captivating to children bringing them to believe that those are the sweet, healthy foods they should consume.
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The foods are usually inadequate in nutrients balance and have low nutrient ingredients and high sugar and calorie ingredients (Better Health, n.d). A child typical food diet has all nutrients in balance proportions with high proteins for growth, carbohydrates depending on physical activity for energy and vitamins and minerals to acquire nutrients that boost the immune system and bone formation.
In conclusion, a typical homemade child diet considers all the necessary nutrients to meet the child's nutritive needs. However, commercials are unbalanced and do not meet the nutritive requirements of the child diet hence promoting foods that result in unhealthy children and low nutrients.
References
Arcan, C., Bruening, M. & Story, M. (2013). Television (TV) and TV advertisement influences on children’s eating behavior. Encyclopedia of Early childhood development. Retrieved on 2 October 2018 from http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/child-nutrition/according-experts/television-tv-and-tv-advertisement-influences-childrens-eating
Better Health. (n.d). Food and your life stages. The state of Victoria. Retrieved on 2 October 2018 from https ://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/food-and-your-life-stages
