Obese children are more susceptible to advertisements about food that they see on television than children of normal weight levels, according to an article published in the Journal of Pediatrics. The study discloses that food companies spend nearly $10 million every year on ads targeting children. Ninety Eight percent of their products contain high levels of fat, sodium or sugar.
"I think it raises the question, and it's a difficult question, of how ethical is it to advertise unhealthy food products to children, especially when we see that obese children are potentially more vulnerable to this type of advertising," study author Dr. Amanda Bruce, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, told KCTV. Obesity in children in the country has increased significantly and according to "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" statistics, more than one-third of all U.S. kids are overweight or obese and are vulnerable to many health risks like heart disease, diabetes and cholesterol.
The study consisted of two groups, 10 normal weight children and 10 obese children and the two groups were presented with 60 food logos and 60 non food logos. The food logos consisted of famous brands like Pepsi and Cheerios and non food brands included CBS Eye and Mercedes Benz according to KCTV.
The study aimed at measuring children's' brain activity and their hunger and self control levels. The obese children exhibited more activation in pleasure area of the brain when they were exposed to food logos and normal weight children showed brain activation in the brain's self control centers which proved that obese children have a problem when it comes to self control.
"In the 1950s and '60s, the favorite vegetable of children in the United States was spinach. That was because of Popeye. Even then we see marketing having a huge influence. If kids are always getting what they want and getting unhealthy things, that could lead to changes in the brain", Bruce asserted.
