Wednesday, August 08, 2007

McCarrots?

No, McCarrots don't exist, but if they did, you're kids would be more likely to eat them.

In a study published this month in the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine we can see proof of the vulnerability of children to advertising.

The study had children taste 5 pairs of identical foods and beverages in packaging from McDonald's and in matched but unbranded packaging and were then asked which one tasted better.

Bet you can see where this is going.

The participants by the way were between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. The foods were McDonald's hamburgers, McDonald's fries, a Chicken McNugget, 3 ounces of 1% milk and baby carrots.

Yes, even carrots wrapped up in McDonald's wrappers were rated as tasting better by this group of children.

As far as I'm concerned there should absolutely be a ban on advertising targeting children and given a child's proven inability to discern truth from advertising that ban should extend beyond simply junk food advertisers but rather to all advertisers. This elegant study certainly confirms that need.

It also makes me wish McDonald's sold baby carrots.