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As if it wasn't enough that we had to blame ads for the UK's growing obesity crisis, now adland has received fresh claims that they also cause anorexia and alcohol abuse.
Author: Melinda Varley
As if it wasn't enough that we had to blame ads for the UK's growing obesity crisis, now adland has received fresh claims that they also cause anorexia and alcohol abuse.
Children's minister Ed Balls last week announced he was launching an inquiry in Parliament that will aim to tighten regulations on ads that children might see.
He estimated that kids see 10,000 ads a year and are greatly influenced by them when it comes to their social habits.
The Advertising Association hit back saying 'we can't blame ads for today's social problems' and blamed the parents who gave into their kids' poor lifestyle choices.
Last year Ofcom introduced a ban on ads for products that were high in fat, salt and sugar, which aimed to help reduce the amount of obese children in the UK. However, the regulations have been in full force for well over 8 months now and have proved to be no silver bullet to the issue of obesity - yet.
Are we really so ignorant and reluctant to confront the real issue that we must blame ads for any major problem we have? Surely it's also peer pressure, magazines and celebrities being considered as role models (for example Victoria Beckham) that are more responsible for a growing trend in anorexia?
And as for alcohol abuse, retailers can't sell it to kids under 18 so how else are they getting their hands on it? I know many parents who freely buy their kids alcohol for their Saturday night teeny bopper parties thinking its better they know what they're up to.
I hope this is still true, but when I was growing up my parents had complete control over me, what they bought for me to consume and how I lived my life until I was 18. Has old fashioned parenting gone out the window and now we're blaming advertising? That seems to be the real issue here, not adland.
To read the news story related to this blog, go to mad.co.uk
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