TV time can take a toll on your child’s nutrition. Why? Many kids spend a fair amount of time in front of the television and research shows they are easily swayed to choose the foods they see advertised. Some of the foods shown in commercials don’t do them any favors when it comes to feeding their growing brains and bodies. Many are high in solid fats, added sugars, sodium and/or calories and they often lack vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
Each day while watching TV, children typically see between 10 and 13 advertisements that promote some type of food or beverage. And, more than ninety percent of these advertisements have been shown to be high in ingredients that are recommended for children to limit. In fact, even with the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, an industry-based voluntary effort to improve the advertising of foodstuff targeted towards children under age 12, more than half of the advertisements that were approved in 2014 did not meet the nutrition recommendations established by several government agencies.
March is National Nutrition Month!
In observance of National Nutrition Month, please contribute to our Virtual Food Drive in order to share the gift of nutrition to Harford County’s less fortunate!
Thank you!