Opinion
Let Ronald sell the good stuff
Dunn — There's new evidence that children are heavily influenced by marketing. Specifically, fast-food marketing. And that has some people worried.
A new study found that kids even like carrots, milk and apple juice better if wrapped in McDonald's packaging. Children participating in the study tasted identical McDonald's foods in name-brand and unmarked wrappers. The marked foods always won out.
"You see a McDonald's label and kids start salivating," said Diane Levin, a childhood development specialist, as quoted by The Associated Press. . Levin had no role in the research.
She said it was "the first study I know of that has shown so simply and clearly what's going on with (marketing to) young children."
In the study, McDonald's-labeled foods were the far-and-away favorites over "generic" samples of the same foods. Almost 77 percent of the kids preferred Ronald McDonald's french fries over the same fries without the Golden Arched logo. Fifty-four percent preferred McDonald's-wrapped carrots versus 23 percent who liked the unmarked sample.
The study's author, Dr. Tom Robinson of Stanford University, said the kids' perception of taste was "physically altered by the branding."
The Stanford University researcher said it was remarkable how children so young were already so influenced by advertising.
The study comes less than a month after 11 major food and drink companies, including McDonald's, announced new self-imposed restrictions on marketing to children under 12.
McDonald's, for example, says the only Happy Meals it will promote to young children will contain fruit and have fewer calories and less fat. That seems to be a move in the right direction. Instead of imposing constitutionally questionable restrictions on advertising - which some food police advocate - let's encourage the food companies with the most powerful brands to market healthy foods to our youngsters.
Fruit is always better for them than fries. Grilled chicken is healthier than hamburgers.
And don't forget, parents have the largest role to play in getting young people to enjoy a healthy diet.
This is an area where government dictates won't - and shouldn't be allow to - work. Especially when parents already have the power to limit food marketing to their children.
- Opinion
-
- No sandwiches for Edgecombe ABC Board
- ‘Get better everyday'
- Stimulus signs may backfire
- Story was a let down
- Everette-Oates ‘trying her best to improve the town’
- Taxes and myths
-
Come meet Ashley Woolard Saturday
The First Congressional District is ready for a change. A change in leadership, a change in priorities, and a change in attitudes.
The last Republican to represent the First District was Walter Pool in 1883. Our stagnant advancement under the direction of the Democrats is evident that a change is needed. We need jobs and we need businesses to provide those jobs.
G. K. Butterfield is our representative in Washington. It is his duty to represent all members of his district. The people who are struggling to take care of their families, support their churches, and expect the government to represent them are ignored. How has Butterfield benefited his constituents?
He voted to destroy the best health care system in the world, and voted for a bill that he had never read that will cost the taxpayers trillions of dollars. He voted to use taxpayer money to perform abortions in the healthcare bill.
He voted for Cap and Trade that will destroy millions of jobs at a time we need them most. This bill will drive more businesses out of the country. He was appointed to the Helsinki Committee to adopt the U. N. Global standards of environmental policies.
He voted for finance reform that will further restrict businesses and make it more difficult to maintain job growth.
Butterfield is loyal to Nancy Pelosi, and she has appointed him to several important committees. One of which is the House Committee of Standards of Official Conduct. t is their job to censor fellow members for misconduct, but when Charles Rangel was examined by the committee for lying about his taxes he gave Butterfield a thousand-dollar donation and the charges went away.
Ashley Woolard is challenging Butterfield for the right to represent the First District. Mr. Woolard is optimistic that he can defeat Butterfield in November. However, he is realistic and realizes that he needs help. He needs volunteers to get his message to every eligible voter, because every vote is important, but above all he needs money. It will take a lot of money to put a Republican in Washington for the first time in 127 years.
I am sure everyone knows who Butterfield is, but how many of you know Ashley Woolard? If you haven’t met this young man, we invite you to join an Ashley Woolard for Congress meet and greet on Saturday, July 31, from 4 until 7 p.m. at the Macclesfield Community Center, N.C. 124 and Fourth Street. This will also be a chance to donate to the campaign and purchase barbequed chicken plates for dinner.
Don Harrell
Macclesfield -
She doesn’t like traps for cats
I live in Tarboro and some of my neighbors have put out traps for cats. These cats have been here since I have lived here.
We have all kinds of animals here running here and they look good here.
I am unhappy about the way people do things.
What can we do about this?
DEBBIE OWENS
Tarboro - Four-way stop or deadly intersection doesn’t make sense
- Computers, trees and decisions
- More Opinion Headlines
