A Growing Problem

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is jumping in to combat childhood obesity. What? I know many of you probably had that same reaction as well. Why exactly is the agency tasked with keeping wardrobe malfunctions and foul language from our televisions and radios suddenly joining the fight against childhood obesity? Well, they are getting ready to launch into a multi-year study to determine if there is a link between ads for junk food and the increase in childhood obesity. If the findings are true, then the FCC, with support from many parents' groups, will push to have these ads pulled from television. This seems like the logical thing to do. Something is apparently the cause of an effect so if that cause is removed, the effect should not occur either right?

In physics they say for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. My reaction to this study is that it isn't going to suddenly change kids from being obese to being fine physical specimen. On the contrary; it will simply mean that there will have to be some other avenue to get the word out to kids. I understand that by pulling the ads, kids will not be aware of these fattening products so there will be less pressure on their parents to buy it. But therein lies the rub to this situation. Parents. Pulling the ads means that kids won't ask their parents to buy the product. But if the parent takes a few moments to find out a bit about the product and sees that it's not good for them, they shouldn't buy it in the first place. I can already sense that some parents will jump out and say that they don't have time to do all these things, and I completely understand. However, if you choose not to buy the product, the kids are stuck as it is.

I mean the moves by the FCC would make sense to me if it was aimed at teenagers since they have the ability to make purchases on their own or have their own income enough to buy what they want. But kids are generally not the ones making the runs to the grocery store or making the purchases at the checkout. You have to attack at the source. Rather than pulling ads that seem to cater to kids, have the pertinent information flashed on screen or print it boldly on the front of the boxes. 300 grams of sugar per serving? That would freak me out too!

And if the FCC goes this route, what is to stop them from going farther? Seen those SUVs flipped over in the snow? I would say that the FCC needs to pull ads that makes people think that SUVs are invulnerable machines that can take on anything with no problems. How about SUV ads that tell how little gas mileage they get or how they can flip over in a sharp high-speed turn. What about beer ads? Rather than showing all models and beautiful people who probably don't drink anything other than water, drinking and enjoying beer, why not show reality with an average Joe or Jane drinking beer and getting a beer belly. Make an attack or make a change where it counts. Promote activity in kids; limit their time on the internet or on games. Physical fitness often starts in the home, so lead by example. Don't rely on the FCC to make the change for you. As Gandhi said, "We need to be the change we wish to see."