Healthy eating game plan

How to counter food marketing to kids

It’s no secret that obesity among youths is a serious and growing problem across the country.

Nearly one in three kids and teens are overweight or obese. Kids who are overweight are not only at increased risk of having weight problems as an adult and developing health problems like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but also face bullying and self-esteem issues.

Putting young people on restrictive diets is not only ineffective but may actually be quite harmful. Studies have shown that parents’ perceptions of their child as overweight, whether accurate or not, are associated with the child gaining weight. Parenting practices that involve using restrictive feeding can cause unhealthy weight-related behaviors such as eating in the absence of hunger, resulting in a higher weight.

Instead, parents and caregivers can focus on promoting healthy eating habits by making nutritious foods easily available and not-so-good choices less accessible by default. Having “forbidden foods” present but off limits creates an unsafe and unhealthy eating environment for young children. Family meals and modeling healthy eating habits can keep children from gaining excess weight.

Beyond the family dynamic are societal and environmental factors that affect eating habits, such as food marketing to children and families. On average, kids ages 8-18 consume about 44 hours per week of broadcast, social and other media, according to the American Psychological Association.

Ads for predominantly unhealthy foods make up the majority of advertising during children’s programs. Children view about one food-related ad for every five minutes of television watched, on average.

Children as young as 6 cannot typically distinguish between regular programming and advertising, and 8-yearolds may not understand the persuasive purpose of advertising.

Advertising to kids can have a strong effect on product recognition and product requests, which have a significant effect on the food purchases of parents. Ads affect children’s food preferences and diet and increases their risk for obesity.

Children are exposed to a disproportionate number of TV and streaming ads for foods that are high in saturated fat, sugar and sodium, with minimal nutritional value.

In addition, children are exposed to targeted food marketing on food packages, billboard signs and at areas of congregation. Youth-directed

advertisements for fast food, carbonated beverages and candy have increased more than 50 percent in the past 10 years. It can be frustrating for parents and caregivers who attempt to create a healthy food environment for their children but are bombarded with the

marketing of junk.

Here are some steps to help avoid ads’ negative effects:

• Set limits on screen time (television, video games, computer and tablets) to one hour or less daily for children age 2-5.

• For school-age children, develop a family plan that encourages

thoughtful selection of media and ensures screen time doesn’t interfere with important activities such as exercise, homework, mealtime and sleep.

• Consider allowing age-appropriate programming that does not include advertisements, like PBS Kids and Netflix,

and limit exposure to commercially sponsored shows.

• Continuously monitor kids’ media consumption.

• When children make requests for junk food, engage in casual yet informative conversation about how to make better, more nutritious food choices.

• Enjoy regular family meals and avoid eating with the television or other devices on.

• Remember that children feel better about themselves when healthy eating is part of the culture of the family and not a response to individual weight concerns.