Not sure about the British government’s move to ban ads for junk food during children's television programming. Ofcom put forward rules today that would ban the airing of adverts for food and drinks high in salt, sugar or fat in connection with programmes that appeal to children under 16 at any time of day or night on any channel. Advertising around children's TV programmes is completely banned in Sweden, and there are a range of restrictions within other European countries, but Britain's new proposals are among the toughest.We’re agreed, aren’t we, that junk food is bad – obesity and so on, yes? We’re also agreed that once kids are allowed it, it takes over and it’s impossible to get them onto good food, even should we want to, yes? So what about banning the advertising of junk food and what about the grey areas? What about pizzas, for example? Hamburgers with salad? Dark chocolate? Peanuts? should the state compensate for parents' deficiencies?
I'm sorry, but something about this makes my flesh crawl (and it's not a cheeseburger with extra pickle). How come we seem to have no problem with children (that's what I'd call a 10 - 12 year old) and teenagers to watch murder, abortion, abuse, etc on EastEnders; how come we have nothing to say about why we think teenagers under the age of consent have the right to unfettered sexual activity and confidential abortions (when I know from experience that you cannot even give a 13 year old Calpol without clear parental consent); but seeing an ad for a burger is beyond the pale - because it will lead them into all sorts of uncontrolled horrors, turn them into fatty monsters, bring their deaths so much closer?
ReplyDeleteAre we not spinning our world out of the realms of proportion here? How is eating a burger suddenly something children need to be actively protected from, but abortion is just something they can do if they like, and drugs are things they can do if they want, as long as they do them "responsibly"?
Who is in charge here? And how can we get rid of them?
ps - I think I know the answer. It's probably because those peddling sexual activity, abortion and tacitly legitimising drug use are not vicious capitalists, but those selling burgers are.
[sigh]
ReplyDeletesorry - it should read, among other incompetencies, "no problem with children...and teenagers watching murder...."
Yes, as an impressionable parent, I think that you have to blame the parents here. Given the choice, my kids would eat junk food almost every day. They understand that a lot of junk food is bad for them. They know what is junk food and what is not. The part that is missing for them is the ability to get to the junk food establishments by themselves and the money to buy their offerings. Parents just have to say no (most of the time) and things will be just fine. From what I read, it is not just the junk food establishments, but the overall food choices and lifestyle choices that many families make that contribute to this issue. I am not suggesting that everyone should be reformed ala Gillian McKeith, but much of what she says has value to many families. The patterns for eating are set when children are young and bad habits die hard.
ReplyDelete