According to a new report from the John Hopkins Children’s Center, Hispanic children are doing more than just being entertained while watching Spanish-language TV, they’re also gaining weight.
The Hopkins team monitored commercial breaks and found that Hispanic stations ’averaged two to three food commercials an hour, with one-third of them specifically targeted to children. Almost half of all food commercials promoted fast food, and more than half of all drink commercials featured soda and drinks with high sugar content.”
This is a particularly important topic of concern in our community because Hispanic children have the highest rates of obesity, as documented by the CDC and other sources.
Health experts have found a correlation between marketing unhealthy habits to children and unhealthy behavior, with the infamous Joe Camel of Camel cigarettes the best example of a campaign roundly criticized for influencing children.
Hopkins was careful not to place blame solely on the ads, the stations or the advertisers, and provided a number of solutions to help reduce the problem of obesity among Hispanic children, including reducing the number of hours children watch TV each day, creating a parent-child dialogue about healthy food choices, and lobbying lawmakers to place limits on food advertising targeted to children.
Research has demonstrated that acculturation and access to convenient and processed food choices contribute to rising obesity, diabetes and related conditions among Hispanics. So targeting the family is important when it comes to modifying unhealthy behaviors. Public relations can be an effective tool in educating Hispanic parents about the nutritional value of the foods their kids eat.
For example, culturally relevant recipes and cooking tips from Spanish-speaking chefs, and Nutrition 101 lessons, can go a long way towards teaching healthier eating habits. This model has worked well for non-profit and food makers alike.
At the same time, outreach to health care practitioners and community health centers can help educate health care influencers about how to talk to Hispanic parents and children about nutrition. Spanish-language brochures and an understanding of Hispanic attitudes and education about nutrition can create a better dialogue and stronger path to ending the problem of Hispanic childhood obesity.
SUBSCRIBE