Cheese =/= Junk: An Appeal for Cheese Commercial Ban
Slashfood: No cheese during kids’ tv?
This is just over-dramatising:
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has requested that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ban cheese and cheese-related advertising from airing during children’s TV programs. The Committee feels that cheese, as it is very high in fat, is “is not an acceptable food to be promoted to kids during the obesity epidemic.”
Oh, and there is more:
Believe it or not, there is precedence to back up their request. The ban on junk food advertising during children’s TV programs in the UK, which has been in place for several months now, includes cheese.
I understand why people would want to ban cigarette commercials all over the place. But cheese? I am utterly clueless – it is rich in vitamins, calcium and protein too! (Is this ban hinting that the medical practitioners–or people in general–these days are too negative?) And don’t you dare to compare cheese with junk food. They are gourmet — Chips are junk food, Twizzlers are junk food — But cheese is NOT junk food. I just had Brie on French bread. Yum.
Although many of the times media play a big part in influencing people’s decision, I don’t think junk food Advertisements are the real reason behind children’s obesity. I spent my childhood surrounded by tons of commercial in Hong Kong but at least I think I am doing fine with my health. (Well, at least it will still take a while before I become a mount of fat walking on the street.)
I am not saying that I am that sane that I am not even tempted by a bit when seemingly delicious food show up on a TV screen.
Some people may see this ban as being protective of children however, I would say this is over-protective. Children some how have to realise that it is just an advertisement. They are not going to realise that unless they have guidance and practice. It’s like, when you have been taking care of your child like a baby since forever, he/she will never know how to take care of themselves or understand what independence is for that matter. What people need to do is educate children how to eat healthily – as they will eventually, one day, be exposed to the overly glamourised world which is full of truck loads of commercials. Or else, obesity will still be a threat.
Or, maybe all we need to do is jump out of that damn car and walk.
It really bugs me how much traffic increases whenever school terms are on. If only all those kids would walk, ride, or catch a bus (walk to and from the stops).