The government has decided to ask junk food marketers not to advertise to kids. I'm afraid this proposal misses the real issue. Do advertisements entice kids into buying things they don't need and aren't good for them? Yes. But we are legislating the symptom here not the cause.
By in large young kids do not buy their own food. Parents buy it for them. This proposal plays right into our "take no responsibility" culture. How dare we expect a parent to say no when a child asks for junk food. Why should parents be expected to parent when they can just blame someone else for their kid being fat.
The same is true of the school lunch program. Since when did our primary objective become making students happy? I doubt very highly that if given a choice the majority of school age kids would rank going to school as their top choice for how to spend their time. I fail to understand why food is the area where we stop worrying about what is best for kids and start focusing on providing things that kids like.
Obviously cost plays a part in shaping the school menu but in a place of learning, where we are teaching our kids to make good choices, providing unhealthy food just to save a few bucks sends the wrong message. Additionally, with the high cost of health care and the ever increasing numbers of obese kids, the long term costs far outweigh the short term savings.
If we are truly concerned about obesity in school age children then we should use the government's power to fix the problem not the symptom. If you take the time to educate a child early and often on the value of good nutrition the rate of obesity goes down. Studies also show that parent involvement increases the value of this education.
A better plan would be to tax the junk foods rather than legislate advertisements. Taxing these products should lead to lower consumption rates while providing a funding source for the very education that will lower obesity in our kids and subsequently, in society.
Unfortunately the world is full of choices and providing kids with the critical thinking skills necessary to make the right choices even when parents aren't around is the best thing we can do to prepare our kids for the real world. Acting like the bad things don't exist may make parents feel better but in the end, obfuscating reality, does more harm than good.
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