Wednesday, August 08, 2007
McDonalds lure children as young as age 3.
According to a recent study conducted my Standford University, children as oung as three prefer McDonald's brand packaging over any other. The study administered taste tests with McDonald's food products one with the familiar logo, and the other in plain packaging. Although the foods in each package were both from McDonald's, the children still chose the familiar label over the plain packaging. This study shows that advertisers are targeting these children with their popular advertisements, which in turn influences childhood obesity. When a child prefers McDonald's over a home-cooked meal, this definitely shows that fast food consumption among children is an increasing problem. For more information on the add click here http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650268,00.html
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6 comments:
My niece is not even two years old and knows what cheetos are. She goes into the pantry and pulls them out. I understand obesity is a large concern these days, but I feel it is the parent's responsibility to stop children from eating these products. Foods like McDonald's fulfill a human's basic nutritive needs with fat, sodium, protein, and carbohydrate. These things taste good in large amounts, but they contain little nutritional value for their density. Once you introduce a child to these highly tasty but nutritionally empty products, its hard to get them back to peas and carrots. Personally, when I have my own kid, they'll be staying away from these foods, just like I do. Although, chocolate is my one downfall...
Electo-shock therapy is needed to teach kids not to desire fast food all the time. Just kidding. The fast food industry is rountinely thought of as a terrible industry for its concern over its customers. Watch a movie Fast Food Nation and your eyes might be opened alittle to the world of this industry. Personally, I hate the taste of Mcdonald's but I do enjoy other fast food resturants. Again, like many of the health problems in the U.S., it is up to the industry elites to help guide America into a healthier tomorrow.
I don't think it is just the packaging. If you ask a three year old what they want to eat they will pick the simplest or best tasting foods. Give a child a burger and a piece of broccoli on the same plate and they will usually pick the burger. Doesn't matter what the burger is wrapped in. It is just that the foods that three year olds like are all the same so companies like McDonald's has to have an edge like the packaging.
This is not really that much of a surprise. If anyone has seen the movie "Super Size Me" would know the reason behind all of this. Corporations and fast food industries pay millions of dollars alone in advertising. There was one case where 3 women could not recite the pledge of alligence but could recite the song to a popular fast food resturant. Most of the American society are bought in by the songs and fancy advertisement.
It is sad what is legal to do to children. These kids will grow up eatting this food because of what they learned at a young age. I dislike McDonalds for taking advantage of America's children.
Child obesity and adult obesity is caused by the same factor the availiability of fast food. Yes Mc donald is well advertised but maybe the test should have been with another fast food company. Either way the choices we make about eating effects our family as well.
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