Comments on: Food Advertising in Schools Contributes to Child Obesity

By: Are Young People Too Fat for the Military? What about the Law Enforcement? | Small Steps to Health

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:06:11 +0000

[...] there are complaints of school lunches contributing to child obesity, the government give lip service to the problem. When there are complaints about labeling the [...]

By: asithi

asithi — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:54:26 +0000

@SRS - Tough love. I love it! But what about for those parents who cannot afford to home school their kids?

By: SRS

SRS — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:59:20 +0000

Pull your kids out of school and teach them yourself. Get other parents involved. Like Tom mentions, companies have too much sway and not enough ethics. You wouldn’t let your kids stay with Uncle Walmart would you? Then don’t send them to Mc-University.

I sound harsh. Perhaps there’s a middle ground.

By: Tom Parker - Free Fitness Tips

Tom Parker - Free Fitness Tips — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:06:42 +0000

You make some good points Asithi but unfortunately that’s the way it is. The companies with the most money have a huge sway over many of our trusted institutions (Governments, schoools) etc. They also know that marketing to kids is highly profitable because;

- a) The kids have ‘pester power’ meaning they will pester their parents to buy stuff they want. Most parents eventually crack and give in to the pestering.

- b) If you can get them hooked at an early age it’s much less likely they will continue buying the company’s products throughout during adulthood.

It may not be ethical but most companies are only interested in what makes the most money. Even companies that are percieved to be ethical may not be. They often go down the ethical route because they believe there is more money to be made this way or they have to by law.

At the end of the day you just have to teach your children the value of healthy eating and exercise and hope that these lessons stay with them during their adult lives.

Tom Parker – Free Fitness Tipss last blog post……Don’t let SAD Ruin your Christmas