BALTIMORE, Feb 20, 2008 (UPI via COMTEX) -- TV ads may be fueling the high
obesity rate among Latino children in the United States, researchers at Johns
Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore say.
The study of Spanish-language television advertising found two or three food
commercials run each hour between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. One-third of the commercials
targeted children and one-half featured fast food. More than one-half of all
drink commercials promoted those with high sugar content.
"While we cannot blame overweight and obesity solely on TV commercials, there is
solid evidence that children exposed to such messages tend to have unhealthy
diets and to be overweight," the study's lead investigator Dr. Darcy Thompsom of
Johns Hopkins Children's Center said in a statement.
The pediatric researchers recommend parents talk to their children about healthy
diet and food choices, and restrict young children to two hours a day or less of
TV viewing. Children younger than age 2 should not be allowed to watch any TV,
the pediatricians said.
The study was published online ahead of print in the Journal of Pediatrics.
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Copyright 2008 by United Press International