“A number of studies have shown that increased TV watching is
associated with higher weight outcomes among kids, but they
haven’t been able to determine whether or not this is directly
due to the type of ads children see,” said Lisa Powell, research
professor of economics at UIC and lead scientist on the study.
Watching television may also contribute to obesity because
children are sedentary and likely to snack while they watch TV.
The research, Powell said, can provide important information for
policymakers and public health advocates about the potential
effectiveness of regulating television food advertising to
children and using TV media campaigns as policy tools for
improving these health outcomes. Previous research conducted by
Powell and her colleagues showed that 98 percent of food-product
ads viewed by children ages 2 to 11, and 89 percent of those
viewed by adolescents ages 12 to 17, were for foods high in fat,
sugar or sodium. The current study is the first to combine food,
beverage and restaurant a