Junk-Food Advertisements Hurting Our Children

Certain experts are now advising the government to step in and prevent food and drink advertisers from pushing their unhealthy choices so heavily on children. According to the stats, $11 billion was spent by the food and beverage industry last year in advertising for mostly high-calorie, nutritionally weak products. Now experts are finding companies are increasingly targeting children through the Internet, product placement and other activities. It’s no wonder 9 million U.S. children and teenagers, or about 16 percent, are obese compared with 5 percent in the 1960s. The number of young people with type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, also is on the rise. According to Sen. Tom Harkin, "the onslaught of junk-food marketing is endangering the health of our children."