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TV ads lead to mindless snacking
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Photo: Mugley (flickr)
Children and adults are more likely to snack on unhealthy foods when watching TV commercials advertising these foods, says a new study in the Journal of Health Psychology.
"This research shows a direct and positive link between television food advertising and calories consumed by adults and children," says the study's lead author, Jennifer Harris, PhD, Director of Marketing Iniatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.
When children aged 7 to 11 watched a 1/2-hour cartoon with food commercials, they ate 45% more snack food than those children who wathced the same cartoon without commercials. This could translate to a 10-lb weight gain per year, said the researchers.
Adults who saw ads for unhealthy foods also ate significantly more junk food during and after watching TV than those who were shown commercials depicting healthy eating habits.
According to Harris, "Food advertising triggers automatic eating, regardless of hunger and is a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic. Reducing unhealthy food advertising to children is critical."
Eating for Life
Don't watch TV while eating. In addition to the current study, others have shown that eating in front of the TV leads to excess calorie intake and decreases the amount of fruits and vegetables eaten.
Limit TV watching by children. Experts recommend that children under age 2 not watch any TV. Involve children in healthful activities like bike riding, swimming, reading, and games.
Share a meal. Family meals build self confidence in children, making them less likely to engage in early sexual behavior, experiment with drugs and alcohol, and develop eating disorders.
(J Health Psychol; July 2009)
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