Preschoolers From Higher-Income Families More Likely To Consume Junk Food

Preschoolers from higher-income families who watch a lot of TV packed with food ads are more likely to indulge in junk food, and are therefore at greater risk of obesity, according to a new U.S. study. The findings come from interviews with more than 100 parents about home characteristics, including time spent viewing commercial TV, prerecorded commercial-free TV, and other media without food ads. Interviews with preschoolers were also conducted to see what they thought was a healthy meal. Interviewees were grouped into food-secure families (higher income) or food-insecure families (lower income). Food-secure families who could afford to give in to cravings when watching food ads were more likely to eat junk food, and their children had “distorted” ideas on what a healthy meal is.