Obesity Is A Serious Problem - 1777 Words

The number of obese children now exceeds 25 percent in nearly two thirds of states. The rates of obesity in America have risen in the last thirty years, costing Americans, health, happiness, money, and productivity (â€Å"Obesity Is A Serious Problem† 12). This research paper will be telling you about arguments and opposing viewpoints about a growing epidemic in teens and adults, obesity. Currently this topic is very controversial about who is to blame the kids, the parents, or the advertising companies because the cost of food is so low and the advertisers are getting a lot of views due to the kids being less active. The biggest issue in my opinion is that the parents and children are not aware of all of the consequences and health risks they†¦show more content†¦Children are hit with advertisements for food, candy, and sugary drinks on the television, the Internet, in magazines, and at school every day (Nestle 28). The fast food industries realize that gaining child ren as customers at a young age most likely makes them a life-long customer (Nestle 28). Sadly soft drink companies unapologetically name 8 to 12 year olds as marketing targets (Nestle 31). Clearly these companies are targeting younger kids so they buy their products in the future so their businesses strive in the future years. The amount of money spent on marketing directed to children and their parents rose from $6.9 billion in 1992 to $12.7 billion in 1997 which is pretty crazy (Nestle 31). As the media gets more and more popular every year the more money companies spend on advertising. Then, coincidentally, the obesity rates keep getting worse and worse not in just America but across the world. Market researchers break down the elements of advertising down to package design, typefaces, pictures and most of this content is likely to get boy and girls of varying age to want to purchase products (Nestle 31). Simple marketing tricks like those can catch a child’s attention an d get them wanting those meal toys or other things that catch their attention. Another reason why advertisements lead to obesity is that nowadays kids and adults are sitting in front of a television or computer for