Ban Fast Foods Advertisements
Introduction
Television has contributed a lot to increase in the rate of obesity among young children. This is mainly through the advertisements. Most media portrays advertisements on fast foods that influence young people and adults to eat unhealthily. The number of people having obesity and other diseases that result from unhealthy eating has increased. Researchers claim that the increase results from television advertisements. Banning advertising of fast foods in television can help overcome the problems caused by unhealthy eating habits. This paper offers reasons why we should ban advertising fast foods in televisions to prevent diseases.
Ban on fast foods advertisement
Television has adverse effects on the society. It has led to increase in the number of overweight children. It has also led to increase in diseases that are associated with unhealthy eating. This is because most adults and children spent time watching televisions and they are influenced by the television to eat unhealthy. The advertising of fast foods by restaurants has become a major concern because of its effects. Researchers have carried out research to identify whether banning advertising of fast foods can help reduce the rate of diseases caused by unhealthy eating habits (Science Daily 2008).
The findings from the study showed that banning fast food advertisements in the television will reduce the number of children who are overweight. The ban will reduce the number of overweight children by 18 percent. This is according to a report in the journal of law and economics (Science Daily 2008). This is because most children spent time watching television as they learn new things like eating habits. The researchers claim that young children aged 3-11 years are easily influenced by the media to have poor eating habits. Also, the number of adolescents influenced by the media is increasing. The children start eating fast foods like sugary foods and this leads to heart diseases, obesity and other diseases (US today 2008).
The researchers examined the hours spent by the children watching television and the effects of the television. They found out that television contributes a lot to poor eating habits. Children who spent time watching television are likely to become obese unlike children who do not watch television frequently. Thus, to overcome the effects of televisions on eating habits, the government should ban advertisements on fast foods. The researchers argue that the ban is effective as long as the government implements the policy (Science Daily 2008).
The researchers claimed that ban on advertising fast foods could put united states in the same category with other countries that have recorded low effects of fast foods advertisement. For example, United States will achieve the benefits of banning fast food advertisement like Finland and Sweden (US today 2008).
The number of fast foods advertisement in the television and other media has increased. This is because the cost of advertising is not high. They find it easy to advertise their products. Tax deduction helps the companies advertise their products cheaply. Scraping tax deductions can help the government control the effects of advertising fast foods in the television (US today 2008).
Elimination of tax deductions can also prevent advertisement of fast foods. The research indicated that elimination of tax deduction could lead to low rate of children obesity. This is because the company will have to incur extra cost when advertising. Most business considers advertising to be an expense and eliminating tax deduction will be a big blow to the companies. The companies will have to spend a lot of money advertising. In stead the companies will opt to stop advertising fast foods. This will in turn lead to low rate of advertisements on fast foods and less effects. The research showed that tax deduction will help reduce the fast food advertising for young children by 40 percent and adolescents by 33 percent. Also, eliminating tax deductions for fast food restaurants can help reduce obesity in young children.
Fast food restaurants find it cheap to advertise their products in the television. This is because the government has encouraged tax deduction which lowers the cost of advertising. Banning advertisement and eliminating tax deduction are the only solutions to reduce the rate of obesity in United States. This is according to the research on how televisions contribute to obesity. Thus, the government should focus on eliminating tax deductions for fast foods and banning advertisements for fast foods (US today 2008).
Conclusion
The rate of children having obesity has increased for the last two decades. This is a result of fast food advertisements. Researchers claim that fast food advertisements have negative effects on the health status of young children and adolescents. Televisions have led to poor eating habits as the children spent a lot of time watching television. Researchers argue that banning fast foods advertisement can help reduce obesity in young children. This is because restaurants will not be able to advertise their products in the television. In addition, eliminating tax deductions can also help reduce obesity in young children.
Most restaurants find it cheap to advertise because of tax deduction. Tax deductions will lead to low cost of advertisement. Eliminating tax deduction will increase the cost of advertisement and hence reduce obesity. The firms will not be able to advertise fast foods any more because of the high costs. The government should work towards eliminating tax deduction for fast foods advertisements by restaurants. It should also work towards banning advertisement of fast foods.
Reference
U.S. Today. Study: Ban on fast-food TV ads may cut obesity.2008.Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2008-11-20-ads-obesity_N.htm
On 24/07/2010.
Science Daily. Ban On Fast Food TV Advertising Would Reverse Childhood Obesity Trends, Study Shows.2008.Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119120149.htm on 24/07/2010
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