A 2011 study conducted by Dr. Natalie Pearson and Professor Stuart Biddle confirmed that television commercials for unhealthy snacks influence poor eating decisions. Additionally, Dr. Biddle stated eating in front of the television is distracting and can lead to overeating. In particular, the researchers also noticed that parents may give children snacks to eat while watching television, which can result in children associating television with eating.
Recently, The New York Times reported that Disney is removing advertisements for unhealthy snacks from their children’s network. Disney has also revised its nutritional guidelines and is associating Disney characters with foods that are more nutritious. The government is hopeful that other children’s networks will follow Disney’s footsteps and ban advertising unhealthy snacks.
Although Disney’s efforts to promote healthy eating are encouraging, it is essential to recognize that parents need to teach healthy eating habits and purchase nutritious snacks. Parents should try to make eating a separate activity from watching television, so kids do not overeat because they are focused on television. Time will ultimately determine whether Disney’s new policy will help reduce children’s sugar consumption. Read the full article by clicking the link below, and then share how you try to reduce your children’s sugar consumption.
