Food and Drink advertising

[Leigh]

Food and drink advertising is in the news again..here (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/food-advertising-aimed-at-children-goes-covert/2006/06/12/1149964470310.html)is a SMH articles.

What are your thoughts on this? I was suprised to see that 82% of the people they surveyed said they think the Govnt should step in. I guess I'm on the fence abit. We don't have a problem with junk food here much. Sure we eat it, but in moderation..the kids just know what they can and can't have and why.

Maybe they are using dirty tricks to advertise to kids. But I think it's a really lame excuse "Oh, my kids fat cause of the ads on TV...it's not my fault" :brow:
I doubt that if they started advertising fruit 24/7 it would make those overweight kids any thinner :dk:

[Luv Angel Musik Babee]

Eh now that's a bit weird. Like you Leigh Gav know's what he can and can't have. We dont eat healthy all the time but he has a big dinner meal and breakfast everyday of toast, for some reason he went off cereal like coco pops and stuff. He has at least one piece of fruit a day plus vegies and stuff for dinner. It's the parents that make their kids fat I reckon, giving them whatever they want no matter how much sugar and fat. I was/am one of those. I was never made to eat vegies or fruit and just had junk pretty much growing up. Hence why I was and am still fat. If Gav doesn't eat his vegies he doesn't get anything else for diner he knows that so he eats them most of the time

[Naomi]

I'm a bit the same as you Leigh, I kind of think well, it's up to parents to teach their kids good nutritional values (by which I mean, moderation is ok). Probably easier for me because Hugo is only young still and doesn't watch commercial television. And he's still at an age where I say no, and I'm in charge.

That said, I think maybe having guidelines for when the ads can be run would be good - I mean of course kids are going to want *insert take-away/junk food* if it's advertised right before dinner time during a kids television show.

I heard Disney is breaking it's relationship with Maccas so they won't have those toys in Happy Meals anymore.

[Leigh]

That's what annoys me, I dislike macdonalds. But on the odd ocassion we have it the kids look forward to the toy. It's only small, but why should all kids be penalised for stupid parents?

I agree there probably is need for some stricker regulations, as long as it doesn't go too far...which things seem to do these days :roll:

[Naomi]

What I actually meant and didn't say was, I think there needs to be some regulation of advertising because lets face it, the advertisers want people to buy their stuff so they aren't going to be altruistic about what and when they advertise.

Sadly there are parents out there who probably don't know any better or think it's easier and cheaper to buy junk food than to prepare meals at home so the kids learn bad habits from the beginning then the blame is spread far and wide - too much television, advertising, blah blah blah.

It's not just the food though, people (everyone, not just kids) need to be more active as well.

[Telori]

We eat a fair bit of take away when I can afford it. When I worked it was a couple of times a week...it had nothing to do with advertising...it was just easier for me...now we have it when I have the money, and we eat 'junk' as in cakes or bikkies every few days or so...but none of my kids are over weight...they know if you are going to eat shit like that you have to exercise a bit extra...and they walk to and from school, play sport, walk with me everytime I go. We are pretty active.

What I am trying to say is I dont think advertising makes the difference in how fat kids are....it's the parents responsiblity to teach good eating habits or exercise...and how to do both in moderation to keep healthy.

[~Jodie~]

That's what annoys me, I dislike macdonalds. But on the odd ocassion we have it the kids look forward to the toy. It's only small, but why should all kids be penalised for stupid parents?

I agree there probably is need for some stricker regulations, as long as it doesn't go too far...which things seem to do these days :roll:


:clap: :clap: :clap:

Us as parents are responsible for what our children do and don't eat.

We eat bugger all take away food ( a lot easier to do out in the bush ) and out here it costs heaps anyway.
Just because some people feed their kids crap we will all be penalised :dk:

[GINAinLA]

When I was over there, I did not notice any kids being overweight. We saw quite a few kids too. And as for adults, Chris and I joked that the only overweight people we saw were tourists.. not Austrailians.
I figured because the junk food cost so much over there people did not buy it as much. You can get a big chocolate bar here for 25 cents sometimes. When junk is that cheap, people buy, buy buy..

I did not know about McDonalds and Disney, that is too bad because I know how kids do look forward to the little toys. Kieren has still never been to a Mc Donalds.

[sjc]

I agree with the other girls. If there are stupid people out there who let their kids eat junk, why should everyone be penalised. I saw something on TV recently where they now have lunch box "Police" Would you let someone suss your childs lunchbox to check if they have a healthy lunch. I think any thing in moderation is okay.

[Beverley]

Educate the parents! I really don't think that people know what shit they're putting in their mouths and what the consequences are.
Having 'convenient and easy' food is great when you're tired but if people knew just how dear it really is for one thing and how bad it is for another, maybe they would re-think.
I think educate the parents, then they can help their kids.
Kids don't buy the food, the parents do. Why blame the kids?
I didn't know kids had that much power. Why don't the adults take responsibility. When has anyone ever said 'my kid made me do it'. Get real!!!