Published: January 23, 2025
High Exposure of Kids to Junk Food Ads
Even with fewer commercials on children’s shows, kids under 12 still see a staggering amount of junk food advertisements. A recent study shows these children are bombarded with over 1,000 ads a year, many promoting unhealthy food.
The study, published in JAMA, reviewed data from 2013 to 2022. It found that while the number of junk food ads on children’s programming has decreased, kids still catch a large number of commercials featuring foods high in sugar, fat, and salt.
Lisa Powell, a health expert from UIC, emphasized this issue. She noted, “Kids are still seeing about a thousand ads per year on other programs, and the majority are still for unhealthy products.” This is a concern since the World Health Organization recognizes limiting these ads as vital for improving children’s diets and health.
Since 2006, many food companies have vowed to cut back on advertising unhealthy items during children’s shows. JAMA reported a decline of over 77% in ads for kids aged 2 to 5 and 78% for ages 6 to 11. However, 60% of the ads that remain are still for unhealthy foods.
Some companies are finding ways around these advertising restrictions. They creatively market items that can still be considered unhealthy but evade the guidelines.
Children continue to see a lot of food ads, especially when they watch shows that attract smaller child audiences. Researchers believe it would be more effective to limit unhealthy ads during times when kids are most likely to watch TV, rather than only during children’s programming.
The study also highlighted a stark difference in exposure based on race. Black children see more food ads compared to white children, primarily because they spend more time in front of the screen. Though kids are not watching traditional TV as much due to streaming platforms like YouTube, more research is needed to understand this shift.
Powell pointed out, “Kids are now spending more time on mobile devices, and they’re seeing a lot of ads there too.” We need to explore where food companies target kids and what kinds of ads they are consuming.
