Nearly 1 in 3 children in the United States eats fast food every day. This consumption of cheap, addictive food products is a major factor in the rising rates of diabetes and other diet-related illnesses cropping up in kids in record numbers. In a time when adults are growing more aware of the consequences of their food choices, why are kids eating such large quantities of this stuff?
The $2 billion spent each year by multinational food corporations to influence the food children want certainly plays a role. Food Mythbusters recently delved into the way this money is spent in their video “The Myth of Choice: How Junk Food Marketers Target our Kids.” They explore the full scope of influence corporations have as they seek to turn kids into frequent fast food consumers through advertising, product placement, and appeals to biology. The companies in question use any access point they can find, including public schools.
Clearly, the tactics of these food giants are working, but we don’t necessarily have to sacrifice our children to the junk food behemoths. The most shocking part of the Food Mythbusters clip is that we, as average citizens, still have some cards left to play. Communities around the country are finding ways to reclaim their kids’ eating habits. Check out the video to see for yourself:
