Tuesday, April 24, 2007

TV Food Ads Increase Obese Children's Appetite By 134%

"Science Daily — Obese and overweight children increase their food intake by more than 100% after watching food advertisements on television; a study by the University of Liverpool psychologists has shown.

A group of 60 children of varying weights, aged between nine and eleven years was shown a series of both food television adverts and toy adverts, followed by a cartoon. Food intake following the food adverts was significantly higher compared with the toy adverts in all weight groups, with the obese children increasing their consumption by 134%; overweight children by 101% and normal weight children by 84%."


Also of note, the fattest kids chose the highest fat foods, whereas the merely obese group chose slightly less fattening fare. I wonder what would happen if you laced their snacks with leptin?

Yet another reason to either a) avoid TV altogether, or b) get a personal video recorder (PVR) . Makes me grateful yet again for my replaytv. And now we have even greater data to support that commericals really can be detrimental to your health.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070424130951.htm

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