How Toxic Food Marketing Affects Child Health with Kelly Brownell, PhD

Children today are inundated with sophisticated marketing and ads online, particularly for unhealthy foods which can contribute to obesity and other negative health impacts. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by food policy expert and leader in the fight against childhood obesity Dr. Kelly Brownell to discuss the ways in which this “toxic food environment” impacts children’s health and well-being. Dr. Brownell explores the addictive nature of highly processed and sugary foods and beverages, and draws parallels between the food and social media industries on how they prey on children’s vulnerabilities. He emphasizes the importance of policy solutions to help families cope with the powerful effect of food advertising on children’s health.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How screen use is linked to childhood obesity
• How daily exposure to large amounts of food advertising influences child and adolescent food choices and behaviors
• Why the food industry is incentivized to market unhealthy and addictive foods to children starting at young ages
• Why parents need support from policymakers and regulators to help protect children from the health effects of unhealthy online food marketing 
• The similarities between the food industry’s use of additives and the tobacco industry’s use of ingredients to manipulate desire and increase product appeal and dependence

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au