Food Marketing to Children and Youth

Creating an environment in which children in the United States grow uphealthy should be a high priority for the nation. Yet the prevailing patternof food and beverage marketing to children in America represents, at best,a missed opportunity, and at worst, a direct threat to the health prospectsof the next generation. Children's dietary and related health patterns areshaped by the interplay of many factorstheir biologic affinities, their cultureand values, their economic status, their physical and social environments,and their commercial media environmentsall of which, apart fromtheir genetic predispositions, have undergone significant transformationsduring the past three decades. Among these environments, none havemore rapidly assumed central socializing roles among children and youththan the media. With the growth in the variety and the penetration of themedia have come a parallel growth with their use for marketing, includingthe marketing of food and beverage products. What impact has food and beverage marketing had on the dietary patternsand health status of American children? The answer to this questionhas the potential to shape a generation and is the focus of Food Marketingto Children and Youth. This book will be of interest to parents, federal andstate government agencies, educators and schools, health care professionals,industry companies, industry trade groups, media, and those involvedin community and consumer advocacy.