How ‘happy’ are those happy meals?

No one is a stranger to junk food. Today, food that is loaded with useless calories and fats is around us more than ever before. Everyone has their secret binges and guilty pleasures, with the first thing that comes to mind being the ubiquitous hamburger, more than likely surrounded by golden French fries and an extra large plastic cup of fizz.

The fact that these meals – as wonderful as they sounds to eat – can and are killing us is far from disputed, however it is the marketing campaign, targeting children as young as two years old that needs to be addressed. Brand preference and lifelong loyalty is costing our youth their health as well as their appearance.

First of all, the industry has a kid’s psychology down to a T. They employ child experts that know exactly what makes a young mind tick, what ploys they respond to and how they will react to certain stimuli. So, they have it all mapped out. They know exactly how to sink those hooks into your child and latch them tightly on to a lifetime of bad habits, in almost exactly the same way a drug pusher makes long time users out of young kids.

To add to the desirability of the whole setup, they design and/or commission toys with guaranteed child appeal. That means when a child will see the toy, nine times out of ten, they will want it – bright colours, funky design, the flavour of the week – you name it, they’ve incorporated it already. Then, they offer it as a free gift with their junk. You’ve seen the fast food chain outlets constantly offering a free toy gift with their kids’ menu. One thing is for sure – the child will want to go there, insist on going there and make the parents lives rotten unless they get taken there.

So the child will eventually come along into their spider’s lair...and bring one or both parents with them. That’s a guaranteed two or perhaps even three people in the pot for the price of one – good advertising money spent by any standard. In fact, statistics show that inclusion of that free, gift will double or triple the sale of kids’ meals per week. Don’t get the parents to spend, get their kid to nag them into it. Their own kids are way better at snaring them than any advert you could pitch them.

And it doesn’t stop there. The junk food industry wants to make absolutely sure that kids love their food so much they will return time and time again. To this end, they use flavourings that are actually twice as sweet as those used to flavour adult food. The implications of this are twofold. First, kids will naturally love the incredible sweetness in the foods they are taking when they are eating junk. Second, this will also train them to dislike the naturally bitter or sour flavours that mingle in the tastes of natural food. In this way, they will start to hate eating natural foods as they will start finding them unpalatable and start to favour junk when they are hungry.

Eating junk food at a young age will also train kids to dislike the naturally bitter or sour flavours that mingle in the tastes of natural food Donatello Pisani

Since it is virtually impossible to recreate the unnaturally sweet tastes of junk food, there is only one place they can get their fix. And indeed, fix it is because this actually turns into a craving that is only satisfied by eating junk.

 In fact, research shows that the overwhelming number of kids who have been given junk food at an early age will almost always prefer these man-made artificial flavours over the texture and taste of real food. To make matters worse, research has also shown that switching these kids back to a diet based on real food after this has happened is almost impossible.

 Additives in junk food – made up of flavourings and colourings – have been known to cause adverse reactions such as asthma, rashes and hyperactivity, and even worse than that some flavourings associated with a certain brand of chicken nuggets has even been linked with heart attacks.

Junk food companies are doing their best to snare your kids and get them eating the junk they cook for life. They constantly pitch adverts specifically designed to make your kids wish to go and eat junk food. As a parent, you have a duty to educate yourself and keep your kids away from these seductive poisons. Next time you think about stopping at the local fast food hamburger joint, think twice. Those happy lunches aren’t really that happy after all. You’re better off driving home and giving your kids some real food.

Diet related diseases increasingly affecting children

• Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes used to be exceedingly rare in children, however increasing incidences of childhood obesity has in turn increased the incidence of diabetes contributing to health complications including hypertension, kidney failure, heart disease, severe nerve damage, blindness and stroke.

• Asthma 

People suffering from obesity are 92% more likely to develop asthmatic symptoms including wheezing, breathlessness and chest tightness.

• Liver disease

Fatty liver disease occurs when fat builds up in the liver cells leading to severe liver damage, cirrhosis or even liver failure. Today obesity surpasses both hepatitis and alcohol abuse as the most common cause of liver disease.

Adult-onset conditions linked to diet

• Stroke

High blood pressure linked to an unhealthy diet is the most common cause of stroke which is the result of a blockage of blood travelling to the brain. Damage can cause vision loss, paralysis and even death.

• Cardiovascular disease

The global number one cause of death, cardiovascular disease is mostly caused by a build-up of plaque and gat in the arteries that can ultimately lead to heart failure.

• Cancer

Research shows that almost one third of cancers today are diet-related. Over a lifetime obesity increases the risk of cancer of the colon, oesophagus and kidneys while obese women are more than three times more likely to develop uterine cancer.

For more information contact Donatello Pisani at The BodyForge, Santa Marta Street, Victoria Gozo. 

Tel: 2156 6626, 9940 7151 • [email protected] • www.bodyforge-gozo.com