How Junk Food Ads Are Making Children Unhealthy and Hurting Our Future

Abstract

Childhood obesity has emerged as a significant health concern. It is a problem that goes beyond children eating too much and not exercising. Aggressive marketing techniques by food and beverage companies that target children through their ads promoting snacks and drinks rich in sugar, salt, and fat are considered one of the most significant contributors to this epidemic. These ads infiltrate every sphere of life—appearing on TV, social media, video games, and many other places—affecting children at a young, formative age. The inconvenience is that children develop their eating habits at a very young age, and the continuous exposure to unhealthy food marketing creates preferences that persist into adulthood, increasing the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The long-term effects of the increased rates of childhood obesity are dire, both for individuals and the entire healthcare system. The rising prevalence of obesity or overweight among more children increases their risk of developing health issues due to obesity in the future. This tendency significantly burdens the healthcare system, causing a surge in demand for medical services, greater expenditures on medical treatments, and further overloading healthcare specialists. The health costs associated with the diseases caused by obesity are already being experienced, with billions spent annually on treating preventable diseases due to eating habits and lifestyle choices. This paper examines the influence that marketing has on children's eating behaviors and its direct correlation with childhood obesity. It analyses the impact that food and drink adverts have on preference towards unhealthy food in children, thereby complicating healthy food choices among children. Moreover, the paper explores the broader implications of these unhealthy dietary habits, not only for personal health but also for public health and the economy in general. Lastly, the paper provides some recommendations and measures in the form of policy that can be implemented to prevent the spread of the growing obesity epidemic and help future generations by limiting how food is marketed to children and encouraging healthier food choices.