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Nagalakshmy Iyer

Professor Rajitha Venugopal

Academic Writing (ACDW101)

04 October 2020

Banning of Fast-Food Advertisements Leading to Better Future Planning

In recent years, the fast food and beverage industry has perceived children and youth as

the dominant market forces. Since then, children and adolescents have been targeted by food

advertisers and marketers with extreme efforts. A controversial issue has been raised regarding

this matter, whether advertising of such fast and junk food should be restricted or not. On the one

hand, some might debate that fast-food advertising and marketing should not be banned.

Whereas, on the other hand, the majority might say that it should be banned. The World Health

Organization has called on member states to reduce the marketing of junk food and fast food to

children (Smith 451). There is a causal relationship between the advertising ban, reduction in

junk food consumption and lowering of obesity levels (“Ethics and law and health” 367). Not

only obesity, but various other health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and

even certain cancers are caused due to excessive consumption of fast food. Thus, this paper

states data and facts in favour that fast food advertising should be banned.

Firstly, it will be helpful to discuss the most direct effect of fast-food advertising, that is,

the impact on the food choice. Professional organizations such as the American Academy of

Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association have expressed considerable concern

about the impact of advertising to children on children’s healthy food choices (Ferguson,

Medrano et al. 452). A study was conducted by Ferguson, Medrano and Munoz in which 75

children were selected from the general community in a small town in south Texas. Children
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were randomly assigned to watch one of two commercials, both promoting McDonald’s food

products, both 1-minute long. These commercials were embedded in cartoon programs, as

described below. Approximately half the children were exposed to a commercial, featuring a

relatively healthy food item (Apple Dippers), whereas the other half were exposed to a food item

that was comparatively less healthy (French fries) (453). The results of their study were:

All children in our sample, as reported by parents, visited a fast-food restaurant at least

once a month (33.3% once per month, 46.7% once per week, 20% more than once per

week). Children’s primary motives for attending fast-food restaurants varied

considerably, although only 32% were attracted primarily by the food, with the greatest

percentage (36%) attracted by playground facilities, and 25.3% attracted by toys

packaged with food items (453).

However, parents have a say in the buying of food for the children, but it is still constrained to

the child’s preference. Also, Ofcom recently conducted research to examine the effects of food

advertising on childhood obesity and concluded that television advertising has a modest direct

effect on children’s food choices (qtd. in Ofcom 2004).

Furthermore, it is believed that such advertising of foods, high in calories, high in fat,

high in salt and sugar, and low in nutrition has contributed to childhood obesity. As eating habits

formed during childhood often persist throughout life, such advertising may well contribute to

adult obesity as well (Smith 427). Since 2000 when these advertisings began to reach their peak,

obesity has tripled in children, right on the heels of this staggering increase in child-focused

advertising expenditures (Warren and Smalley 42). Estimates of the average exposure of children

to TV food advertising range from 1.8 min/d in The Netherlands to 11.5 min/d in the United

States. Its contribution to the prevalence of childhood obesity is estimated at 16 %–40 % in the
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United States, 10 %–28 % in Australia and Italy and 4 %–18 % in Great Britain, Sweden and

The Netherlands (Goris et al. 1003). This is alarming because once gained, it is very difficult to

get rid of extra weight, and obesity is associated with an increased risk of diabetes,

cardiovascular disease and cancer, and with a lower life expectancy (Mackenbach et al. 365).

Despite the effect on food choices and the health issues caused due to the focused fast-

food advertisements, some might argue that fast-food advertisements should not be banned. Just

like any other industry, the fast-food industry is merely promoting their product to the targeted

audience. It is suggested that self-control is the key to overcoming obesity and other health

problems due to fast food. Additionally, the food industry provides massive employment

opportunities across the world, and the distribution of income for the massive labour comes

majorly from advertising and marketing of the products. However, children can be easily

persuaded to buy a product, especially food items. They tend to buy products having attractive

advertisements and also which provide gifts. This is one of the fundamental reasons why fast-

food advertisements are targeted at children. Nevertheless, the impact of fast-food

advertisements is so profound that self-control, especially in childhood becomes very difficult.

Thus, it not only leads to short term diseases but severe long-term health issues as well.

From the data collected and research conducted, it is evident that fast food advertisements

have an extreme impact on a child’s present as well as future life. It can be assisted as:

Additionally, the British Medical Association recommended, as a component of its

childhood obesity prevention plan, a ban on advertising of foods that is considered to be

unhealthful, including certain sponsorship programs targeted at school children and a ban

on unhealthful food and beverage products from school vending machines (qtd. in BMA,

2005).
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Limiting the advertising of high-calorie foods could be very helpful in a broader effort to make

children’s diets healthier. The ban will help children to choose nutritious food. Governments can

play a vital role in limiting the harmful public health impacts of food advertising by

implementing legislation that restricts broadcasting or requires health warnings on commercials.

Overall, going through all articles, a decision can be made that advertisements have a more

significant negative impact on the mindsets of children, affecting food preferences, leading to an

unhealthy life. Major restrictions on fast food advertisements aimed at children have been into

effect in various countries such as Chile, France, Mexico, Norway, Taiwan, United Kingdom and

Canada. Such restrictions or ban should be adopted by all countries so that a child’s health safety

is not compromised and they get to lead a healthy and safe life ahead. This will help us to build a

healthy world in future. Thereby, on a concluding note, this study stands firm to the claim that

rigorous advertisements of fast food leave a profoundly negative impact on the children.

Therefore, these commercials should be banned.

Works cited

“Ethics and law and health.” 2001. Health Studies: An Introduction, edited by Jane Wills and

Jennie Naidoo, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, pp. 345-370.

Ferguson, Christopher J., et al. “Advertising Influences on Young Children’s Food Choices and

Parental Influence.” The Journal of Pediatrics, vol. 160, no. 3, 2012, pp. 452-455.

ScienceDirect.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022347611008183

. Accessed on 02 Oct. 2020.

Gootman, Jennifer Appleton, et al. “Public Policy Issues in Food and Beverage Marketing to

Children and Youth.” Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?

National Academic Press, 2006, pp. 319-372.

Goris, Janny M, et al. “Television Food Advertising and the Prevalence of Childhood

Overweight and Obesity: a Multicountry Comparison.” Public Health Nutrition, vol. 13,

no. 7, 2010, pp. 1003-1012. Cambridge University Press.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/television-food-

advertising-and-the-prevalence-of-childhood-overweight-and-obesity-a-multicountry-

comparison/63EB08C93D239AE99000371692BF4742. Accessed on 03 Oct. 2020.

Mackenbach, Johan P., et al. “By how much would limiting TV food advertising reduce

childhood obesity?” European Journal of Public Health, vol. 19, no. 4, 2009, pp. 365–

369. Oxford Academic. . https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckp039. Accessed on 03 Oct.

2020.

Smith, Andrew F. “Marketing to Children.” Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of

What We Love to Eat. ABC-CLIO, 2012, pp. 427-451.

Warren, Jacob and K. Bryant Smalley. “Obesity Is a Behaviour, Part One: Oodles of Calories.”

Always the Fat Kid: The Truth About the Enduring Effects of Childhood Obesity. St.

Martin’s Publishing Group, 2013, pp. 29-52.