Advertisements that targeted children seems to be a trend that companies use to get their products across to consumers. Now most advertisements that are targeted at children send a negative message in the long run. Fast food companies target children to eat unhealthy food without the care f the impact it will have on them in the future. Parents try to set children in the right direction but due to the numerous amounts of advertising that appeals to the children, many of them realize that they are fighting a losing battle. This is why I believe that the government should take more action and regulate the advertisements of the food industry so that the health of children won't be compromised.
One reason why the government should crack down on unhealthy food advertisements is that the government is dealing with a nationwide weight issue. The government reports that many people, especially children and adolescents are overweight or obese. This problem is due to the many ads that illustrate unhealthy foods such as Mcdonald’s with their Big Mac and Burger King with their Whopper. According to the article, “Public Agrees on Obesity’s Impact,” obesity is ranked the second most public health problem. This is caused by the fact that the ads are played more frequently during children's’ shows, which induces the children to be more influenced by the unhealthy advertisement. If the government limited the number of unhealthy food ads that were shown during a child’s problem, then the obesity problem would decrease.
Another reason why the government should step up is due to the fact that the government is a huge influence and they’re the second line of authority in the nation, following parents. Every day children are taught to follow these two people: parents and the government When it comes to food, children tend to rebel against their parents when anything healthy comes to the table. But when the government advertises McDonald’s, or Pizza Hut on T.V., the child tends to be influenced more than they would be if they saw an ad about healthy products. The government, as the second authority to children's’ lives, should team up with parents to focus more on healthy products.
In conclusion, advertisements that are targeting children are harming them in the long run. The government has taken small measures to improve the health of children by limiting the number of fast food companies in certain schools. Also, Michelle Obama has started a campaign to help get children into shape. But these actions aren’t enough; more actions should be taken into consideration so that our children don’t end up living short lives. The government regulates the media, so they should regulate more4 of these unhealthy ads. Ask yourself, “Would children would be better off with short lives filled with complications or long lives with good health?”
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