Teen Obesity and Media
The Growing Issue
The Connection Between Media and Obesity
Fast food, a creation loved by so many, but have you ever stopped to think about what that Big Mac can do to your body? There are plenty of healthier substitutions when it comes to fast food, so why do so many people still choose fast food over much healthier options? Here are some reasons why:
Top 3 Reasons
Advertising and Fast Food
Advertising is a fast food company's greatest weapon. Over the past several years, fast food advertisements have sky rocketed. fast food companies continue to spend more and more on advertisements each year. A study conducted by Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity in 2010 shows that the fast food industry spent 4.2 billion American dollars in fast food marketing (Philpott, 2010). On th other hand, the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an agency with the intent to promote a healthy lifestyle, was given an annual budget of 6.5 million American dollars (Phillpott, 2010).
Fast Food Prices
With fast food advertisements everywhere we look, it sure is easy to get a hold of some, even for those on a tight budget. With fast food everywhere at such low prices, it is not very hard to see why so many people spend their money on it. A study conducted by Harvard University shows that a healthier eating diet costs $1.50 more a day than a non-healthy eating diet (Rehel, 2013). At first that may not seem like very much, but over time it accumulates to more than $2000 a year for an average family (Rehel, 2013). This makes fast food the better choice for anybody on a budget or looking to save some money.
Easy Access
According to the data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34.4% of U.S. children and teenagers between 2 and 19 years of years of age will eat a fast food dish on any given day (Kaplan, 2015). Modern technology definitely aids fast food companies in their favour. From ordering pizza online to placing an order on the phone, children and teenagers have a wide range of ways to access fast food right from their homes.
Get In Shape
Teen Obesity PSA