Week2 Reading Journal - 3

Despite beverage companies’ voluntary agreement that they would improve advertising directed to children, children were exposed to soft drink ads twice from 2008 to 2010 according to the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. The center also reported that black and Hispanic children were beverage companies’ main target. The American Beverage Association, however, argued that soft drinks are not the only cause of obesity, and claimed that they decreased advertisement for soft drinks by 98 percent between 2004 and 2010. The Rudd center asserted that it seemed like beverage companies’ self regulation did not work, so the government should take action to regulate beverage companies’ advertisement for soft drinks which may lead children to consume sugary beverages. Although soft drink ads may not have a great impact on childhood obesity, I believe there must be some regulations that limit the amount of soft drink ads exposed to children because, in a way, soft drinks cause disease such as obesity and diabetes in childhood. Better safe than sorry. 


source : http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/10/31/141859893/kids-and-teens-see-more-ads-for-sugary-drinks