| We'd like to think we have full control over our | | | | - Limit television time-eliminate it if possible. |
| food choices, and that we make decisions about | | | | Provide videos for young children to watch |
| what to eat based solely on nutritional value, taste | | | | instead of TV shows with ads. Allow absolutely no |
| preferences, cost, and maybe convenience. But | | | | more than two hours per day in front of the |
| the truth is advertising exerts a mighty influence | | | | television. The less time the better. |
| over what we choose to eat and feed our | | | | - If your children watch television, watch it with |
| families. | | | | them and discuss the advertising. Also discuss ads |
| As adults, we can counter the effects of | | | | in magazines, newspapers, and billboards as well |
| advertising on our food choices with awareness. | | | | on the Internet and on in-school advertising. Talk |
| We can (usually) distinguish advertising from | | | | about what the ads are trying to sell and how to |
| objective information, knowing that ads aim to | | | | know if what they say is true. Observe your |
| persuade us to buy something. We can read labels | | | | childrens reactions: Children don't like to be tricked |
| to uncover the facts about foods on grocery | | | | and lied to anymore than adults do. |
| store shelves. Most of us can use our experience | | | | - Encourage participation in activities other than |
| and common sense to sort out good food from | | | | watching TV, such as sports, hobbies, and family |
| bad. | | | | outings. |
| Food Marketing Targets Children | | | | - Help children read food labels. Select one piece |
| Children are more vulnerable than adults to | | | | of information such as calories and show them |
| advertisements and less able to tell fact from | | | | how to compare calories for different foods. |
| fiction. Aggressive marketing targets children as | | | | - Prepare healthy, tasty, and fun food for your |
| young as toddlers. The foods they promote for | | | | family. As one three-year old put it, he likes to go |
| children can be largely unhealthy, high in sugar and | | | | over to his friend's house because her mom |
| fat. The possible consequences of advertising | | | | makes good snacks. Take a lesson from |
| unhealthy food to children are serious because | | | | marketing experts and persuade your family that |
| children need good nutrition to grow and thrive | | | | your good food is the food they should eat. |
| and because early eating habits may become | | | | - Work with your schools to eliminate sodas and |
| ingrained for the large part of their life. | | | | candy from vending machines and high fat/high |
| Even though young children don't buy their own | | | | calorie foods from the lunchroom. Make sure |
| food, their insistence on eating only the cereal | | | | in-school advertising does not promote unhealthy |
| with the toy inside that they saw on television | | | | food. |
| can wear parents down. Parents, who have to | | | | Teach Healthy Eating Skills to Your Children |
| choose their battles with their children, may give | | | | Children will be confronted with advertising |
| in to pressure from their youngsters. Also, by the | | | | throughout their lives; there's no practical way to |
| time they become teenagers, most kids are | | | | eliminate it. By reducing their exposure to ads and |
| buying at least some of their own food. | | | | teaching them how to choose good food, parents |
| Reduce Childrens Exposure to Advertisments | | | | can help their children make independent decisions |
| Parents can take steps to minimize the influence | | | | and learn healthy eating skills that will serve them |
| of marketing on their child's nutrition: | | | | lifelong. |