In Context: 5 Web Perspectives On A Story In The News

Fast-food advertisers crave young market

(The Atlantic) A study from a group at Yale University, known as the Rudd Centre for Food Policy and Obesity, has released the largest U.S. study on the marketing of fast food to children. Despite pledges made by some fast-food companies to reduce advertising to children, the study suggests children are actually seeing more ads. On top of advertising in the media, the study suggests individual restaurants are not doing enough to market the healthier options on the menu - choosing to give fries without informing the customer they have other options. The study also breaks down the advertising between different races. The study suggests black children see 50 per cent more fast food ads than white children. Out of 3,039 possible kids meal combinations at the fast-food restaurants studied, only 12 met the nutritional criteria for preschoolers and only 15 met criteria for older children.

1.

Study of fast food marketing to kids

F.A.C.T.S.
The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University is responsible for this website, which contains extended information on the study of fast-food advertising to children. "The Rudd Center is a non-profit research and public policy organization devoted to improving the world's diet, preventing obesity and reducing weight stigma." This website contains full information on the study, examples of the best and worst kids meals and complete nutritional information for the 12 restaurants in the study. The website breaks down advertising exposure across TV, radio and Internet, including an examination of the social media footprint of fast food advertisements.

2.

Better Business Bureau partners with fast-food advertisers

Better Business Bureau
This website is maintained by the Better Business Bureau, an organization with a mission to be the leader in advanced marketplace trust. The BBB was founded in 1912 and operates in Canada and the U.S. with a head office in Austin, Texas. It oversees the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative - a voluntary self-regulation program with an aim to advertise healthier dietary and lifestyle choices to children. On this website you can find a list of participants in the program, program fact and requirement sheets, compliance reports, food nutrition information and more. The compliance reports contain extensive information on participating companies including changes made to products (reducing sugar content of juice drinks, for example) and the amount of interactive online games tied to advertising.

3.

Canada's food and health guide

Government of Canada
Canada's Food Guide is administered and provided by the Government of Canada. The guide is provided in 12 languages. The food guide provides extensive information on healthy living for Canadians. Aside from the guide itself, the website provides information on how to use the guide, how to choose foods and issues a specific guide for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The website also provides information on maintaining physical health. Users can also use the 'myfoodguideservingstracker' to keep track of how much they eat of the various food groups. The ‘myfoodguide' feature is an interactive tool that allows users to personalize the information found in the food guide.

4.

British broadcast regulator axes junk food ads for kids

Ofcom
Ofcom is the independent regulator of the TV and radio sector, as well as telephone and cellular phone providers in the U.K. Ofcom's office is located in London, England and has an organizational structure headed by chief executive Ed Richards. In 2007, Ofcom instituted a ban on the advertisement of junk foods during hours children are expected to be watching TV, and on children's content broadcasters. This link goes to the most recent Ofcom report on the progress of the ban. This document is full of statistics and basic analysis of how the program is working. It also provides significant background on how the program began and was implemented.

5.

San Francisco bans fast food toys

Walletpop
Walletpop is one of AOL's money and finance websites, run by vice president, editor-in-chief Jamie Hammond, with a specific focus on consumer finance and marketing. This article explains the new city ordinance passed in San Francisco that bans toys from fast-food kids meals that don't meet certain nutritional requirements. The article provides a link to a pdf version of the legislation from when it was proposed, as well as a breakdown of some of the key points. McDonald's vice president of nutrition and menu strategy, Karen Wells, is quoted from an opinion piece she wrote and a link is provided. This is another angle of what is sure to be a continuing contentious debate on the subject of obesity.