Food advertising is even worse, because while a parent might be able to avoid the toy store, in the grocery store he or she is subject to food masquerading as a toy. The only possible resistance is not taking the child shopping, which forces the parent to deprive the child of a parent-bonding experience where he or she could teach the child about budgeting and nutritional food.
The AAP study also notes that advertisers are aware that children and adolescents are more susceptible to advertisements for unnecessary goods, thus they are more often the targets of product placement ads ("Children, Adolescents, and Advertising,"AAP, 2006). Then, once consumption patterns are established early on in life, they can be difficult to eradicate. "By the time we reach adulthood, unhealthy food practices can be embedded in our subconscious mind and we must work hard to overcome these ingrained behaviors. Since rooting out bad habits is so difficult, the key for our children is to foster healthy habits as they grow up" (Topel 2004).
To advertisers: "Children represent three different markets...the direct money that children spend and the money they influence....and...the future market. Advertisers recognize that brand loyalties and consumer habits formed when children are young and vulnerable will be carried through to adulthood. According to the CEO of Prism Communications, 'they aren't children so much as what I like to call 'evolving consumers'" (Beder 1998). Because of this attitude, the AAP, in summary, advocates that advertising to children should be banned ("Children, Adolescents, and Advertising,"AAP, 2006). This raises First Amendment freedom of speech issues, however, and may not be legally feasible even though it may address the causes of the spiraling children's obesity epidemic.
Do not buy food masquerading as toys, like the Dora the Explorer cereal. Explore methods of engaging children's developing intellectual and critical faculties rather than turning on so-called educational programming. Teach children to cook a meal and budget for the week, not to nag parents to buy brightly colored food in boxes. Encourage children to explore the world outdoors rather than to watch a television show called Dora the Explorer.
Works Cited
Beder, Sharon. '"A Community View', Caring for Children in the Media Age."
Papers from a national conference, edited by John Squires and Tracy Newlands, New College Institute for Values Research. Sydney, 1998, pp. 101-111. "Children, Adolescents, and Advertising." 24 Sept 2007. http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/sbeder/children.html#RTFToC1
Dora the Explorer Cereal." The Breakfast Bowl. Jun 2006. 24 Sept 2007. http://breakfastbowl.blogspot.com/2006/06/dora-explorer-cereal.html
Martin, a. (2007). "Kellogg to Phase Out Some Food Ads to Children."
The New York Times. 14 Jun 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/business/14kellogg.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics." Pediatrics. Dec 2006.
118:6: 2564-2569. 24 Sept 2007. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/118/6/2563?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT el, Amy. "Setting Lifelong Eating Habits." National Geographic
Green Guide. Sept/Oct 2004. 24 Sept 2007. http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/104/patterns
