Doctor's Call: End Junk Food Ads For Kids
By: Many pediatricians want the new Democratic congress to ban junk food ads on kids shows.
The American Academy of Pediatricians is calling on the FCC to impose limits on ads saying that advertising has an impact on crucial areas of child development.
Would that be protecting the health of our children or just regulation run rampant and censorship?
That was the question up for debate on CNBC’s "Power Lunch." Guests were Susan Linn, Co-Founder of the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood and Robert Corn-Revere, Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute and Partner--at Davis Wright Termaine.
Susan Lin said she thinks regulation is essential because marketing and advertising are big factors in the problems facing kids - things like eating disorders, and obesity.
Lin argued that advertising has been self-regulating for over 25 years--a period which mirrors the escalation in childhood obesity.
When "Power Lunch" host, Bill Griffeth asked if a child's eating habits are a parents responsibility--Lin replied that companies are insinuating their brands into ever aspect of children's lives and that the messages are designed to separate parents from kids.
Robert Corn-Revere argued that advocates of regulation are jumping to conclusions before giving self-regulatory options a chance to work. He says the focus on marketing and advertising distorts only one factor in the child obesity equation. He believes kids are savvy - more savvy than adults give then credit for being.
