Study group report on the impact of television on adolescent nutritional status

Abstract

Obesity, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, dietary excesses and deficiencies, iron deficiency, and dental caries have been identified as the major nutrition-related problems affecting youth in the United States. Of particular interest currently are the potential effects of dietary patterns established during childhood and adolescence on the later development of heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and osteoporosis. Concern has been raised regarding the impact television advertising and programming has on the nutritional health of youth. In children, excessive television viewing has been linked to obesity, increased between-meal snacking, consumption of low nutrient-dense foods and attempts by children to influence their parents’ food purchases (l-4). Research Directions There exists no published research on the influence that food advertising and food programming may have on adolescent food preferences, eating habits, food purchasing practices, or body satisfaction. Research has centered primarily on young children; specifically, food advertising on Saturday mornings (l-3). For young children, the time spent viewing television is directly linked to consumption of foods advertised on television, as well as influencing parent purchases of these foods in the supermarket (4). These, as well as other aspects, need to be examined with respect to adolescents.