Junk Food Ads Make Kids Eat More

TOP OF MIND

See a cookie, eat a cookie
While we here in the states continue to churn out cereals like Oreo Puffs and Orange Creampop Cap'n Crunch, researchers in the UK are trying to end the madness.

The recent study involved 240 seven- to 15-year-olds. On two separate occasions, they were shown or played five minutes of junk food adverts and then non-food adverts.

Unsurprisingly, they ended up eating more throughout the day.

The important bits
The data showed that young people who saw or heard adverts for products high in saturated fat, sugar and salt consumed an average of 130 extra calories.

They also determined the type of advertisement did not matter: videos, social media posts, podcast ads, and even billboards and posters.

It's those last two that have them worried. The UK government has already proposed a ban on junk food TV adverts before 9pm which is scheduled to start in October of this year, but the researchers note there will be plenty of loopholes.

According to recent findings, 15% of children aged 2-15 in the UK are considered obese. The US is at around 19%. That's up dramatically from 1990 when just 11% were considered obese.

What's it all mean?
You can ban all the advertisements in the world, but ultimately, it comes to us parents. If you don't buy it, they can't eat it. Of course, it's a little more complicated than that, so here are some great tips.

DID YOU HEAR

🏡 Stuck in the middle with you
What exactly is middle class? It generally includes those with incomes that are two-thirds to double the U.S. median household income. Since the average income varies from state to state, GoBanking broke down the numbers and looked at what you need to make in every state to be considered middle class. In California, your household needs to bring in at least $61,000, but in Mississippi you only need $35,000. See your state here.

🤦‍♂️ 54% of boys view sexualized gun content
If you thought sugary cereal marketing was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet. A new survey from Sandy Hook Promise has found that 54% of boys reported seeing sexually charged firearm content at least once a week. If you're wondering what on earth that looks like, this article has some examples. The survey included boys ages 10 to 17 and parents of boys in the same age bracket. Participants came from households both with and without firearms.

🥣 It's time to toss your plastic kitchen tools
As scientists continue to uncover just how bad microplastics are for our health, you may want to look around your house to see where you can minimize your risk. The first stop? Your kitchen. We routinely use plastic cutting boards, utensils, wraps, and containers, which are all common sources of microplastic exposure in the kitchen. Read how and why you should begin to make your kitchen plastic free.

🪄 The happiest most expensive place on earth
A dad in Florida took his three kids to Disney World for just one day, and he ended up spending $1,400. He documented the entire day in an Instagram video, and it's pretty wild.

🍭 Boy uses mom's phone to order 70,000 lollipops
Here's how much it set her back.

DOSE OF GOOD

@babybushmhacked

His moms gonna kill us

BITES WITH KIYAH

Snacking like they saw it on TV?

This week, I’m talking about the real impact of all-day eating—on hunger cues, mealtime struggles, and appetite. If the ads aren’t feeding them, the constant snacking might be.

Watch the full video here.

HERE’S A QUESTION

Last week, we asked if you'd take psychedelic mushrooms to treat postpartum depression, and it was a close race between, "Maybe, but I'd need more information," and "In a heartbeat!"

RECALLS

Salmonella tomatoes
The FDA just issued a recall for Ray & Mascari tomatoes, specifically their 4-Count Vine Ripe Tomatoes, because they might be contaminated with salmonella.

A total of 11 states were impacted by this recall, including New York, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.

Get all the details here.