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This goes to show that these types of advertisement and promotion that are directed to kids are very influential. Partially a result of these fast food ads, I became overweight and it took me years to finally get back into a healthy life style. Before when I was big, I weighed about 140 (Keep In mind this is when I was 11). Now I’m 135, which is more towards muscle weight. Though I feel that my parents should have controlled my diet a little more, there’s no doubt that advertisement for unhealthy food is impactful.
Another promotion that I’ve encountered recently was during the month of October of last year (2011). The McDonald’s across the street of Merced High School was almost completely finished renovating. In order to promote themselves to high school students they handed out free sandwich cards with an order of fries and a drink to us. They weren’t healthy sandwich. It was the regular hamburger, or chicken sandwich that are included in this promotion. It makes us think, are they promoting their sandwich with intentions that they are selling good products, or just promoting for the sake of getting more money for other age groups of people.
Even though there are many ads about unhealthy foods, amongst the mist there are still promotions directed at children improving in their diet within fast food restaurants. Recently McDonald’s revamped their original happy meal. Nowadays, kids will find apple slices, juices/milk, and now they have a very small portion of fries. They only serve about six strings of fries in each Happy Meal. This is great to know that McDonald’s is finally taking the first step to healthy items for children. Mirza M. a worker at the corporate level at a major fast food company refers to the idea that “it’s up to the parents and the individual’s choice of what they shall eat. I eat McDonalds salad everyday. For our kids meal, parents can request to substitute fries for another serving of apples, it all depends on the person and their choices.”
On the other hand Andrew Cheyne a Media Researcher at Berkeley Media Studies Group, rebottled explaining “parents have a role, but why must corporations continue to market to kids, and insert themselves between parents and their children? Food marketing affects children’s food preference and even food intake, so it’s settled that advertisements for unhealthful foods like fast-food are part of the problem.”
Though this is great and McDonald’s should be and are promoting this new meal to kids, it is only a small steps considering that kids may not be appealed by this new Happy Meal or they are not aware of this new change. Again, according to Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, they explained “More than 60% of fast food ads viewed by children (2-11) were for foods other than kids’ meals.”
If children are more exposed to other types of food more frequently, the chances are that those types of food (most likely unhealthy) are most appealing to them and are more likely to be chosen over something that is less widely known. So as a result, children might end up eating the wrong food that fast food companies are advertising to different age groups.
Nonetheless, one cannot be directly at fault. Sure the parents should be controlling what their kids should eat and make the right choice, but the constant exposure of advertisement and promotion often sways ones judgment. Especially if a parent should decide to let their child eat fast food.
Hariet V, a grandmother and a customer of McDonalds feels that, “it’s ultimately the parent responsibility, but I do think the advertising and convince of fast food sway the parents decision.”
Fast food is part of the American culture and has a strong present in Merced. Should Merced as a whole try to control the influence of fast food advertising among Merced’s young people or just let this be? The answer is ultimately what you feel you should do.
