by Marijane Suttor

Created on: June 10, 2009   Last Updated: January 03, 2012

Marketing to children has long been a tactic of advertisers. It seems harmless on the surface but over time the indulgence in fast food by America's children has undeniable negative effects.

Obesity

The most obvious negative effect of the ploy of appealing to children with fast food is that there is an increase of obesity in children. According to Jaime Holguin of CBS News, 15% of children are obese. According to this same article, "every day, nearly one-third of U.S. children aged 4 to 19 eat fast food, which likely packs on about six extra pounds per child per year and increases the risk of obesity." Observing these statistics there is no avoiding the fact that frequent meals at fast food restaurants adds to the possibility of obesity.

Poor Nutrition

One of the most serious consequences of the marketing of fast food to children is that they ingest less nutritional foods. According to "Eat This Not That" by David Zinczenko, children who consume fast food consume more calories, fat, and sugar. They drink more soda and drink less milk. They eat less vegetables and fruit than kids who avoid fast food. An example is one slice of pepperoni and sausage pizza and the kid friendly Chuck E. Cheese. Once slice of pizza and two breadsticks contains 667 calories, 27 grams of fat, and 1,426 mg of sodium. One greasy bread product combined with another greasy bread product and no fruits and vegetables. Nutritionally this is not a good choice for a child.

Increase in Insulin Levels

Another negative effect of fast food is the increase in insulin levels in children. Fast food meals have a higher glycemic index than healthier fare. High glycemic indexes are associated with the increase in insulin levels. Increasing insulin levels are associated with obesity. Eating fast food creates a domino effect that is not in the best interest of children.

Increased Chance of Asthma

According to NBC news a Canadian study showed that children who ate at fast food restaurants twice a week had a greater likelihood of asthma and that it contradicted the benefits of breastfeeding as a preventative of asthma. The thought was that the increased sodium as well as other items increased the risk of this common ailment. This would certainly be a serious deterrent to eating fast food.

Food Equals Happiness

The connection between fast food and pleasure is one of the most ominous effects of marketing to children. It teaches children that to be happy with themselves they need to eat. If one buys a kid's

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