Influence of Television Advertisement on Unhealthy Food Preferences among Children

Today Fast food is one of the worlds largest growing food type attracting more customers. These industries are spending billions on marketing and advertising the products especially to children. There has been substantial increase in advertising of fast foods both in developed and developing countries. Childrens are viewed as major target market in India by these fast food industries. Majority of the products are high in calories and less in nutritional value. The aggressive marketing and advertising by these fast food industries force the children to choose unhealthy food choices and lead them to create poor eating habit. Childrens are more vulnerable, less able to understand the persuasive technique of advertisement and have least cognitive defenses towards television advertisement. They are glued up in watching Television and are being bombarded with more fast food advertisement. Yet, Food advertising received little attention at the regulatory frame work. This paper focus on examining the influence of television advertisement on childrens, need for sustainability concept in food advertising towards childrens, a positive approach to influence the childrens healthy food products and to emphasis potential regulations that could be implemented.