“A child is exposed to twenty-one
television advertisements for food every day…[and] none of them promoted fruits
or vegetables,” according to Victoria L. Brescoll, Kelly D. Brownell, and Roger
Kersh in their 2008 article, “Assessing the Feasibility and Impact of Federal
Childhood Obesity Policies” in the Annals of the American Academy of Political
and Social Science.
Children are currently bombarded by advertisements endorsed by their favorite
celebrities and cartoon characters promoting sugar and fat-laden foods. While
such advertising appears to be a main contributor to the increase in childhood
obesity in America, other forms of advertising can be a part of the solution to
raising a healthier generation.
One advertising campaign that has gained a lot of steam in recent years
is the anti-sugary drink campaign. In an interview with Amy Bleakley, a Senior
Research Scientist at the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of
Pennsylvania, she explained that “sugary drinks are a major source of calories
and sugar that are fueling the obesity epidemic among children and adults.” She
noted that anti-sugary drink advertising campaigns face a lot of competition
because “sugary drinks…are often endorsed by athletes and other popular
celebrities.” To learn the key to a successful anti-sugary drink advertisement,
Bleakley, along with Amy B. Jordan, Michael Hennessy, Karen Glanz, Andrew
Strasser, and Sarah Vaala, published a study on June 9, 2015 entitled “Do
Emotional Appeals in Public Service Advertisements Influence Adolescents’
Intention to Reduce Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages?” The researchers
found that the teenagers were most likely to cut back on sugary drinks after
viewing the fear-based ads, where they were reminded of the negative health
impacts of consuming too many sugary drinks.
The New York City Health Department used similar fear tactics in 2013
to decrease the consumption of sugary drinks. According to The City of New
York’s November 25, 2013 article "Health Department Launches New Ad
Campaign Highlighting the Negative Health Impacts of Excessive Sugary Drink
Consumption" on The New York City Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene website, “The ads warn New
Yorkers of the potential harmful consequences of excessive sugary drink
consumption…[and] encourage New Yorkers to take a ‘sip in the
right direction’ and replace sugary drinks with water, seltzer, unsweetened
teas, fat-free milk and fresh fruit.” By informing parents about the unhealthy
drinks they are providing to their children, kids can start to make better
choices before diabetes and other health complications develop.
New York City Anti-Obesity Ad
/ The NYC Department of Mental
Health and Hygiene
http://www.nyc.gov
Soda companies may be the enemy of
these anti-sugary drink ads, but Coca-Cola is now joining the fight against the
obesity epidemic. Coca-Cola aired two types of anti-obesity commercials in
2013, according to Danny Rogers’ 2013 article “Ethical Coke Campaign Shows
Glimpse of Future” in The Campaign.
The first ad, which aired on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, emphasized Coca-Cola’s
numerous low and no-calorie beverages, smaller servings, and healthier school
options. In addition, they explained that all calories count, no matter where
they come from; if people do not burn off as many calories as they consume,
then they will gain weight. The second ad, which aired during American Idol, suggested that people
should enjoy burning off the calories in a can of Coke. While admitting to the
problem, Coca-Cola is also vowing to be a part of the solution to obesity. If
more brands follow in Coca-Cola’s footsteps, children can learn to choose
healthier, and smaller versions of their favorite products.
Similar to Coca-Cola encouraging
people to enjoy exercise, the NFL Play 60 commercials encourage kids to play
for 60 minutes per day to have fun, get exercise, and stay healthy. In the “NFL
Play 60 2014 Commercial” published by the NFL Enterprises LLC in 2015, the kids
are shown playing where NFL stars used to play when they were growing up. For
example, kids are running, swinging, climbing monkey bars, skipping rope,
skateboarding, swimming, somersaulting, and biking in places like Peyton and
Eli Manning’s yard, Cam Newton’s local park, and Victor Cruz’s high school
field. The NFL allows young viewers to relate to these elite athletes because
the kids are playing in the same places as the professionals did when they were
little. The feeling that they too can become skilled athletes, as well as the
enjoyment that they can have while playing, helps entice kids to get active and
play. The media often makes exercise seem like a burden, but the NFL shows that
it can be the best part of someone’s day. Similar advertising from other sports
leagues could create a surge in children’s exercise habits and help prevent
childhood obesity.
Children Playing in front of Eli and Peyton Manning’s Home
NFL Productions LLC http://www.nflrush.com/story/nfl-play-60-2014-psa
According to Jane L. Levere’s
article “An Anti-Obesity Campaign Takes to the Airwaves” published in The New York Times on May 2, 2012, the
Center of Disease Control and Prevention has conducted studies showing that
more than thirty percent of American children and teenagers are overweight or
obese. If this percentage does not go down, the next generation may have
shorter lifespans than their parents. While the anti-obesity advertisements are
a great start to battling this problem, more action is needed. Amy Bleakley,
the University of Pennsylvania researcher, believes that regulations on
advertising, similar to the prohibition of tobacco advertising, are necessary
to build a successful anti-obesity campaign. In an interview with Ted Kyle, a
healthcare professional experienced in the health issues, needs, and policies
associated with the obesity epidemic, he explained that “Obesity is a complex
chronic disease...[and] lot of work, trial and error will be needed to clean up
this mess.”
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