Illustration by Isabelle Arsenault
This is a continuation to:
Problem No.2
Physical Health - Obesity Epidemic
Children are exposed to Mass Marketing of Sweats and Candies, Beverages and Foods with no real Nutrition Values from the moment they entered this world.
While the parent Beliefs one is reading their Child a Book that would enhance the Child's Communication, imagination and Language skills, one does not take into consideration the hidden and indirect advertisement existent in the Book's Illustrations that would influence the Child's Nutrition Choices, later on in one's Life and therefor, one's Health and Well-Being. What was supposed to be a tool of Education and Entertainment for children, transformed into a Marketing Place for the Big Corporations.
The US food system is the second largest advertiser in the American economy through the massive Marketing over the television, newspaper, magazine, billboard, and radio advertisements - All of which would determines one's Life without one being aware and Conscious about one's Decisions and Choices one is so dearly protest to be Free.
However, what is more concerning is the 'In-School Marketing' that includes Commercial Activities, Direct advertising and indirect advertising and Market Research with Students:
Since the 80s, Obesity in Children at the ages of 6-19 has roughly TRIPLED:
A literature review by Kaiser Family Foundation highlighted a number of studies that suggested that advertising influenced dietary and other food choices in children, which likely contributed to energy imbalance and weight gain. It is not surprising that Half of the advertising time on Children's TV is devoted to Food Advertising and While fruit and vegetables as well as grains and beans are rarely aired.
The Marketing of the Food ads are done through 'Persuasive Appeals' such as Taste, Fun and Uniqueness. Often, Incentive are introduced like for instance McDonalds' Children Happy Meal that comes with all sorts of Games and Puppets but most importantly, the most beneficial Persuasive Appeal is through connecting the products with the Children's 'Feelings' which would Develop, Create and Design the Child to become an Effective Present and Future Consumer.
Unfortunately, what is not Seen, Realized and Understood is that Advertising directed at children within Persuasive Appealing Technics is by its very nature, Exploitative and unacceptable.
Obesity is a significant health problem which the Corporation Elite are form a direct part in it within our Profit Driven Capitalistic System. Obesity can lead to high Health Risk conditions such as Heart disease, stroke, High blood pressure, Diabetes, Cancer and etc.
Within that context, I suggest following Paul's Journey to Life who is working with the Consequences of high level of Sugar intake as a child that had led him to a life with Diabetes Type 1.
While the Research indicate specifically the correlation and relationship between Advertisement and Obesity, not much has been done to Prevent the Problem and Support with a Solution that would stop the Harm and Abuse of the Generations to come.
Another Problem is the Legitimate Continues Harmful Advertisement through the First Amendment of the United State's Constitution within the realm of commercial free speech. In other words, the First Amendment allow the Big Corporations make the kids suffer from Physical Health problems with a life long Consequences.
The Food and Media Corporation have repeatedly stated that their Advertisement is protected speech under the First Amendment and therefore, up until today, all attempts to Ban TV Commercials targeting Children in the US have failed regardless the Research that were done, showing that if such era will arise where TV commercial Ads would be banned, we will see dramatic decline of Obesity cases.
While Children have no Real Free Choice in what they are being exposed to either at home or at their Environment, we have the power to stand up for a solution that would Prevent a future and much worsen Epidemic to a point of no Return. The Solutions are available and all we have to do is to Decide to walk the correction Process.
Will Continue in the next blog to uncover the Mental Health Problems in relation to Advertisement which from there, I will move Forwards to the Solutions.
For further Context and thus Understanding, I suggest Reading and Watching:
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