Obesity - There is No Substitute for Vigilant Parenting

Researchers in the US are calling the Government to take action to protect children from all sources of food marketing, not only on television, but in schools and on the internet. The internet industry has shown that it cannot self-regulate and the time has come for legislation to change in order to protect our children from marketing.

The Kaiser Family Foundation study has shown that the "first comprehensive analysis of the nature and scope of online food advertising to children" was conducted in response to increasing concern over obesity levels in children in the US.

The study stated, "Unlike traditional TV advertising, these corporate-sponsored websites offer extensive opportunities for visitors to spend an unlimited amount of time interacting with specific food brands in more personal and detailed ways."

The survey found that 85% of major food brands that target children through Tv advertising in the US also use branded web-sites. The study documents the methods used, including "advergames"; these are online games that use a company's product or brand characters, which was found on 73% of the websites examined - and, "viral marketing" - whereby children are encouraged to promote the product to their friends which was a feature on 64% of the sites studied.

There are various other marketing tactics which include promotions, sweepstakes, on-demand access to TV advertising and incentives to buy products. A website of a "well-known" brand of sweets told children they could watch ads "over and over right now" instead of having to wait for them to appear on TV.

Internet advertising to children is yet unregulated and the Government is being urged to look at this problem for the future health of our children. Enforcement may prove very difficult however parential self-regulation of their childrens use of the internet would greatly diminish this problem. There is no substitute for vigilant parenting and knowing what your children are doing online is a parents responsibility. So, don't ignore what is right in front of your face, monitor your children online, take back control and use your parenting skills wisely.