Affect of junk food advertising on children - Essay Example

AFFECT OF JUNK FOOD ADVERTISING ON CHILDREN Introduction: The of the thesis is that how the young children are getting affected to the luring advertisements and promotions of the junk food. This junk food is something that children love to eat everyday and no parent wishes them to do so. Children are always guided and are given instructions about not to eat junk food in bulk or more frequently to which some would listen and some may not. The elderly people, teenagers and grown-ups control their eating habits but children who cannot control eat outside home frequently the junk food are prone to the risk of diseases like Cardiovascular- CVD, etc. Also at times the children are served this junk because of they are available conveniently, less time consuming when the parents are in their busy schedule. The interesting thing about the subject is it concentrates on those who eat heavily in an uncontrolling manner and end up with diseases. Also it is referring to some one is in the article who is in super size me. The boy in the story enjoys eating forbidden fruit, which tastes very sweet at Mc Donald’s. The boy is attacked by the onslaught of the chavs. The boy couldn’t stop eating after seeing the luring advertisements and going to the eating outlets which are easily accessible. Mc Donald’s has its outlets everywhere, it costs just 10 pounds for a head to fill and they are happy and cheerful. The insight of the thesis is that the young, sensitive and innocent generation should be properly guided and must not be allowed to become prey to the commercial business tactics developed to sell the junk. Here some questions arise as, can advertisements be made totally responsible for the health of children? Are parents not partially responsible to the health of their children? In reference to the context of Larry May’s “Sharing Responsibility”, it can be specified that the parents in many ways are responsible for their insensitivity to their moral responsibility of warning which is difficult to be different from the way of the world going on. They cannot say no to which everyone says yes. Another prospect to mention is that parents lack the awareness of the effect of such foods on children and also they are insensitive towards giving a dedicated care to their children as most of them are working professionals. The problem here is that a few children are getting addicted to the habit of eating junk food to an extent that they are turning out to be obese, hefty. The article showcasing the boy in super size me is a practical example to the above said statement. The story of the child is that the boy generally doesn’t get inclined towards unhealthy eating but the boy cannot resist upon himself after gazing at the chavs made for the junk. He even tells that he always guarded himself by listening the instructions given by the government about what to eat and what not to eat. After listening to all such instructions generally anyone would not wish to and fill the belly full but this eating is the result of the eye captivating and alluring advertisements. The boy is indirectly blaming the organizations promotional activities. Probably the boy will not be aware of the consequences that follow up over the bulk eating. But once he becomes sick it will be very hard for a doctor to bring him to normal health and size and shape. The theory of the book is that people of the nation are indirectly responsible to what happens in the society. The responsibilities need to be shared by everyone. “I consider various ways in which it may be said that people are responsible for having become and remaining insensitive even when it is difficult or impossible at the moment to choose to be different”(Larry May, 1993 P 55). The people are ignoring sensitivity, which is a meta-virtue, which is the source that evokes moral sense. They deserve blame to their insensitivity towards injurious habits cultivating among the young. And for those who come forward to play their role in the society, their area of responsibility increases as they are already cast in their personal roles. To obstruct the arising of conflicts in the accomplishment of the responsibilities, limitations are to be put down according to the person’s potentiality to affect the society with a social change. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Larry May, insensitive and moral responsibility, Pg no. 55, published. 1993. retrieved on 13th March 14, 2007. available online> Limitations are also found over the responsibilities that are shared among the people. “A persons responsibilities may conflict, requiring some limits to be placed on their further expansion”( Larry May, 1993 P 163) The article of paper specifies more about the Mc Donald’s Burger Bar and its “Forbidden Fruit” which is sweet and attracting all. A boy is shown in the article who is very hefty and obese and still enjoying at the McDonald’s. The McDonalds takes a very good care of its customers, the service is fast, vast accommodation and the rates are cheap and affordable by all. Generally most of the children are wise and doesn’t make a nuisance of their health while some children get addicted to eating junk food. Actually every parent loves to take their children to McDonalds at their birthday parties and other party throwing occasions. But anything when crosses the limitations it becomes a hindrance and a social menace. Apart from this the company gives a sense of familiarity to those who are traveling and lost the sense of their native place. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Larry May, insensitive and moral responsibility, Pg no. 163, published. 1993. retrieved on 13th March 14, 2007. available online PA163&dq=%22Sharing+Responsibility%22,+Larry+May&sig=bPz2RZIyTSLGOwP512v4Pc3R7N4&hl=en#PRA2-PA163,M1 The concept of sharing responsibility is that the responsibilities are divided and shared between the members of a group instead of giving whole responsibility to one; whole group is collectively responsible for a change. To distribute responsibility a unified group is not needed rather than just informing the duties of a single person is enough to support a social cause or change. “Dividing responsibility for a harm is also different from assigning to each of several responsibility for a harm”( Larry May, 1993 P 38). Dividing the duties is easier and applicable that assigning a total responsibility each and every person of the group. The responsibility can be anything like educating people about the nutritional values and benefits of the food, consequences of the wrong intakes and instructing about right and balanced diet to stay free from diseases. The emphasis is put on the way the members of the group communicate with the world. Their attitudes are guided to a single goal in a specifically determined way. Here, the social behavior is very important because according to that only they select their social work. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Larry May, Sharing Responsibility, Pg no. 38, published. 1993. retrieved on 13th March 14, 2007. available online The nations responsibility also plays a role in bringing a social change. The nation must check the quality control, issuing some coupon system to a family and putting some limitations and taking a share in the responsibility of the social organization. Granting aids to the working groups and morally supporting the welfare organizations. Organization responsibility is also needed to enrich the society with good health. The organization must be case sensitive and not be only business based rather than having a social concern. The organization being rich and global evolved must and should support a social cause and take it as a challenge. What if the organization denies service to the guy instructing his bad health consequences? The situation may get aggravated and the particular customer will be reluctant then the business organization can inform to any one of the group member as its duty. Responsibility not only lies in the hands of the parents and the society but it also lies on the government to check the nutritional value in the food sold at the eateries and food joints. The stores selling this junk food must also keep an eye on the customers and also on the food they sell. The primary intention of the parents, government and the food joints must take utmost care on the effect of advertisements on children since they constitute a larger part of the population of any country and also are the pillar of the nation. Because today’s children are tomorrows citizens. It is everybody’s concern, individuals, organizations and nations to build a healthy and a happy society. When we wish to eat any thing anywhere we first offer to those who are near and then eat. It is the manner and culture and also sensitivity associated with the eating food. We should not eat food luring others. This is what the advertisements do. So there must be some tabs on the advertisements so that there will not be any side effects or bad affects on the children who can’t think much of life and their future. The concept of sharing responsibility is worth executing practically which would yield good benefits to the society. Reference: Paris Beaverbanks, Even prince Charles want to ban Mc.Donalds, published February 28th 2007, . retrieved on 13th March 14, 2007. available online< http://parisbeaverbanks.blogspot.com/2007/02/even-prince-charles-wants-to-ban.html> Laura Aird, MS, Manager, Early Education and Child Care Initiatives . retrieved on 13th March 14, 2007. available Author: Susan Brune Lorenzo, M.L.S., MCH Library. retrieved on 13th March 14, 2007. available Read More