Although all nutrition experts agree that junk food and snacks are harmful to children's health, the vibrant and diverse advertisements prevent parents from properly guiding their children’s eating habits.
According to the Family Magazine Service of Saed News, to rid your child of junk food, you need to combat the advertisements that promote these unhealthy foods from morning to night. But how can you do this?
The main reason why children today are becoming overweight is their lack of physical activity—every parent knows this. But the important question is: what are our children doing instead of playing and exercising? The simple answer: watching TV, playing video games, and using the computer. By limiting screen time, you provide several benefits for your child: first, they have more opportunities to engage in physical activities, and second, they are exposed to fewer advertisements for unhealthy and fattening foods.
By reading this article, you will learn how to teach your child not to be deceived by misleading junk food advertisements.
Who Are the Main Targets of Advertising?
Imagine it’s Saturday morning, and your little one, as soon as they wake up, turns on the TV before doing anything else. What do you think they’ll want for breakfast? The countless junk food ads aired before children's shows on Saturday mornings make the answer clear.
Recent studies show that fast-food companies are increasingly targeting children with their advertisements. Interestingly, children start watching TV ads as early as two years old. Have you ever considered how these ads influence small children, school-aged kids, and even yourself? Research indicates that immediately after watching junk food advertisements, both children and adults increase their consumption of these unhealthy products—regardless of whether they were actually hungry. These advertisements create a strong craving for the promoted foods.
Despite these external influences, as a parent, you can take control and teach your child how to recognize and resist misleading food advertisements.
Prevention is Key
Instead of feeling frustrated when your child eats unhealthy snacks at a party, it’s better to educate them about proper nutrition in advance. Draw a food pyramid on a piece of cardboard and explain in detail the benefits of different food groups. Tell them how each meal affects their health and appearance.
This knowledge empowers your child to make informed food choices. When serving a meal, ask them to refer to the food pyramid and explain its importance. By doing this, you turn nutrition education into an engaging game that both you and your child can enjoy.
Be a Role Model
You cannot expect your child to avoid junk food if you consume it yourself. You are their most important role model. If you refuse unhealthy snacks at a gathering, you don’t need to explain your reasons to the host—your behavior alone will teach your child that you prioritize health.
In addition to discussing the benefits of healthy eating, patiently explain the harmful effects of junk food.
You Can Take Control
Many parents are surprised to realize how much control they actually have over their family’s habits. No matter how tempting TV ads may be, you can set household rules by simply stating, “We only eat healthy food at home.”
The same approach applies to TV-watching rules. However, avoid being too strict—special occasions like birthday parties at fast-food restaurants, drinking soda on holidays, or extra screen time on weekends can be acceptable exceptions.
One of the best ways to monitor TV consumption is to watch it alongside your child. This way, you can see the ads they are exposed to and help them recognize misleading or exaggerated claims. Use this opportunity to encourage critical thinking by asking your child to evaluate the truthfulness of ads.
Spot the "Pinocchio" in Advertisements!
To effectively supervise your child’s TV time, sit with them while they watch. This allows you to identify and discuss deceptive or exaggerated advertisements. After a fast-food commercial, ask your child:
Which is healthier: a burger with fries and soda, or fruit with baked potatoes and chocolate milk?
Research shows that immediately after watching junk food ads, consumption of these foods increases in both children and adults, regardless of actual hunger levels. Advertisements are designed to make people crave the promoted products.
Set Clear Expectations
Encourage your child to think critically about advertisements. Ask them to determine which ads are truthful and which are misleading.
For preschoolers, turn this into a fun game by categorizing snacks with traffic light colors:
Green foods: Can be eaten daily
Yellow foods: Can be eaten occasionally
Red foods: Should be eaten rarely
Ask your child: “Can we eat chips every day?” Making this a game helps them understand healthy eating habits in an engaging way.
For older children, explain advertising strategies. Ask:
“If you owned a factory, how would you convince people to buy more of your products?”
“What important facts do you think this advertisement is not telling us?”
One effective but time-consuming method to eliminate junk food ads is to record children's programs yourself, then fast-forward through the commercials when playing them back.
Who is the Real Enemy?
As mentioned earlier, television plays a major role in childhood obesity by both reducing physical activity and promoting unhealthy foods. To limit TV time, especially for preschoolers, consider the following tips:
Get your child involved in household chores.
Children enjoy helping, so give them small tasks like mopping the floor or dusting.
Let them assist you in the kitchen instead of using the TV to keep them occupied.
Create a special “entertainment basket.”
Fill a basket with colorful books, drawing supplies, play dough, puzzles, and toys.
Keep it hidden and bring it out only when your child gets bored with their usual toys.
Use educational CDs and audiobooks.
Choose age-appropriate educational or story CDs.
Record your child’s favorite stories in your own voice and play them when needed.
Establish TV-watching rules.
Children under 2 years old should not watch TV at all.
Preschoolers should be limited to 2 hours of screen time per day.
By implementing these strategies, you can protect your child from the negative influence of junk food advertising and help them develop healthier eating habits.
