Last year Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was involved in a study to determine if there was a link between ads for junk food and the increase in childhood obesity. With there initial findings, it has been stated that 40 percent of food commercials that are aired are for candy, snacks and fast foods. These ads are largely viewed by kids who are between the ages of 8 to 12 years. Kids in this age range are trying to be independent and it is important to understand what they are exposed to.
What FCC is going to do about these ads being aired is at their discretion. Maybe they will reduce the number of such ads being aired; maybe they will work on improving the quality of such ads, so the viewers are educated. I have never seen any ad for fruits, vegetables, meat or seafood that are nutritious and are much needed for the growing kids, except for that ‘got milk?’ ad. Maybe FCC will improve on airing such ads. Whatever step they take it will be for the benefit of growing kids; after all they are our future and you don’t want your future to be obese.
The whole issue on airing these ads in like a chain reaction. The ads are aired luring the kids to these junk foods. They ask their parents to buy them such foods and sometimes throw tantrums on food aisle while shopping with their parents. To avoid such embarrassing moments, parents become vulnerable to such tantrums and give in to the child’s plea. I know parents are the ones who control the final decision of whether to buy what the kids ask for or not, but sometimes you just give in for various reasons. Once in a while for kids to have what they want will make them happy and give them a sense of winning their requests battle.
But that in no means says that you just let kids get what they ask for all the time. We as a parent should have our stand as well. When I go shopping with my son, Yash who is 8 years old, I am strict about what he can get but at times, even without him asking (because he knows he is not going to get it anyways), I will pick up his favorite candy bar for him to munch on, on our way back from the store. Even stores have made candy-free checkout aisle for moms, so they can checkout and pay for their groceries without the kid asking or nagging for candies.
The idea behind FCC getting involved is to reduce junk food promoting ads and to improve food ads that have nutritious values. One can argue that removing these ads is not going to change anything. But the fact is kids ask for things that they see on T.V. where they spend their time watching their program of interest. Then you might say, ‘reduce the TV watching time or cut off TV completely and promote other physical activities.’ That’s not the point. Cutting TV and video game time is not the solution to the problem of reducing intake of junk foods. Such ads, may it be on TV or magazines that kids watch or read will only instigate them to try it out.
My son watches selective programs on Discovery channel or Animal planet or his channel that airs Sponge Bob or Captain Scarlet. But in the midst of these shows, the numbers of ads for junk foods and toys that are shown are numerous. Why can’t the program be ad-free? Even if FCC is able to get this to work (ad-free programs for kids), I would be very happy. Someone has to take that first step to start the race and I am glad FCC is working towards this.
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