Advertising Bans Work: Quebec Has Lowest Childhood Obesity Rate

June 29th, 2012 by Len Saunders

From Care2?..

?Two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions in a sesame seed bun?? I can still remember the jingle, word for word, from being exposed to those Big Mac commercials as a child. But does childhood exposure to fast food advertising have an impact beyond giving us a horrible ear worm for life? Recent research suggests that it does.

The province of Quebec in Canada has the lowest childhood obesity rates in the country despite having one of the most sedentary lifestyles. How is that possible? A study by Tirtha Dhar and Kathy Baylis found that Quebec?s 32 year ban on advertising to children led to an estimated:

- US $88 million annual reduction in expenditures on fast food
- 13.4 billion to 18.4 billion fewer fast food calories being consumed per year

The study also found that patterns established in childhood carried into adulthood, with French speaking young adults in Quebec being 38% less likely to purchase fast food than French speaking young adults in Ontario (where there is no advertising ban).

Parents should ?just say no?

This study provides further proof that advertising works. It also demonstrates that parents whose children are constantly begging for fast food (after being exposed to ads) end up purchasing fast food more frequently than parents whose children are not exposed to advertising. Many people say that those parents should ?just say no? and take some personal responsibility. Perhaps that is true, but is that the best we can do as a society?

To read the full story?..Click here

Entry Filed under: Health / Fitness Articles

Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=1780

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