The food that is plugged by TV commercials has been seen to be the unhealthy kind, the kind that leads to chronic illness.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers analyzed food advertisements on TV and concluded that the ads promoted a diet high in sodium, sugar and fats.
Also such a diet would be low in essential nutrients, fiber and potassium as well as nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.
It is therefore recommended by the study authors that:
- People should be informed about the kind of bias that there is in TV food advertizing.
- People should be made aware of what nutrients are likely to be over compensated and which are likely to be deficient if TV ad recommendations are followed and people should be able to identify what constitutes a balanced diet to differentiate it from an imbalanced one.
- Interactive website could help to educate people and help them identify the nutritional value of a given food.
- There should be more nutritional guidelines made available to help people make healthy choices.
So the next time you see something delicious on TV, ask yourself if it’s really good for you, and not just your taste buds!
