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Little Consumers
The Effects of Commercials on Toddlers and Preschoolers
By Teri Brown
Obesity among children under 5 is becoming an epidemic. Recent statistics show that in the last 20 years, the prevalence of overweight 4- and 5-year-old children has increased but younger children have remained the same weight. What could cause such a jump? Many point their finger at television and the advertising aimed at young children who are just beginning to pay attention to what's on that little (or big) screen.
Dr. Mary Ellen Renna, a physician nutrition specialist and author of Growing up Healthy the Next Generation Way: How to Add Years to Your Child's Life and Life to Your Child's Years (Select Books, 2007), believes that parents of infants and toddlers should be aware of the overall affect television has on their child's life.
"Studies have shown that 27 percent of commercials during children's shows are junk food, sugary food or fast food advertising," Dr. Renna says. "This definitely has an impact on children. They see it on TV and then nag their parents to get it. Marketers are not stupid. They know that children have a tremendous impact on what parents buy and if the children nag their parents enough they usually give in."
In addition, Dr. Renna says that the child-oriented, non-nutritious foods are also usually placed at eye level for children in the supermarkets. This ensures that the children see the food boxes, recognize them from TV and then suddenly announce that they must have that food.
Dr. Andrea Vazzana, a clinical assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry for the New York University's Child Study Center, says the prevalence of these commercials imprint certain brands on the young child's memory and increases their longing for such food.
"In March 2007, the Kaiser Family Foundation released results of a study indicating that about a third of commercials seen by 2- to 7-year-olds are for food," Dr. Vazzana says. "The Advertising Coalition estimates that $10 billion to $15 billion annually is spent promoting food products to children and adolescents. Advertisers and food companies know their target group and have effective marketing campaigns. In fact, studies show that television commercials influence the food preferences of children as young as 3 years old."
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