Video Games: the Latest in Advertising Aimed at Pushing Unhealthy Foods on Kids

The researchers at UC Davis didn't have to tell us that our children are being bombarded with television advertising promoting high-fat fast-food options and high-sugar cereal and candy; any parent who has watched the Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon with their kids knows that. But that is what they already knew at UC Davis too. The findings that the team published in the May issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior have more to do with a new form of advertising aimed at children: Advergames.

The team looked at advertising that included websites and they wanted to know what was being promoted to our children via those sites. Many times it was companies with food products who use video games on their websites to keep the kids engaged; many times incorporating logos and food depictions in the game and even requiring purchase of certain specially marked foods to obtain codes for advancement in the online games.

The team found that these sites offer little in the way of nutritional information and they were clearly trying to cast the unhealthy food choices in a positive light by giving the kids the fun factor of a game. What kid doesn't get a warm fuzzy feeling from a video game nowadays, advertising based or not?

Speaking from experience, my younger sons come to me almost daily with website URLs that they have seen on commercials during their cartoons and they want to go check them out. Our latest visit to McDonald's even yielded a code for in-game items at a site for Happy Meal consumers. That would usually be children.

To give McDonald's half credit; their site does have a website at the bottom of the page fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org that leads to a nutritional website. However, the link is not clickable so it will probably never be accessed by a child browsing the Happy Meal website online.

Most of the websites researched didn't offer nutritional information or links to food pyramid guidelines. They were strictly promoting their less than healthy food to kids with fun games and activities aimed at repeat visits and further exposure. It was these types of tactics that lead the team at UC Davis to recommend increased regulation by the government of food companies that target youth.

Whether or not the government decided to regulate and enforce any restrictions on these food companies parents can remain proactive and educate their children themselves. Healthy food websites like Food Champs, Kids Health and Fresh For Kids offer some alternatives for nutrition information and fun and games.

Resources
Eureka Alert Press Release - Online Games New Marketing Tool For Unhealthy Foods

McDonald's Happy Meal Website

Fruits & Veggies More Matters Website

Food Champs Website

Kids Health Website

Fresh For Kids Website