Any idea what the “nag factor” is?  If you’re in advertising, you probably do.  It’s the holy grail of advertisers, who target their (unhealthy) food commercials at kids, knowing that the next time they’re in the grocery store with their parents, they’ll nag their parents to death for the product they’ve seen promoted, until the parents finally give in and buy it.  Charming, huh?

An article today in the National Post (by Sarah Schmidt) commented on the findings of a researcher who studied commercials on Teletoon and YTV over four days, during peak viewing times, geared toward kids who are aged two to 11.  His findings suggest that most commercials are for food (37% of ads), and that most of them (95%) are for unhealthy foods.  So not only are our kids watching tv, and therefore not being active, but they’re also being bombarded with tempting commercials for junky foods.

Here’s the good news: according to this article, Canada’s leading food and beverage companies have launched an initiative to promote healthier choices, both food and lifestyle, for kids under the age of 12.

Here’s the bad news: it’s voluntary, meaning they are self-policing themselves in this initiative.

And here’s the ugly: check out this list of “healthier dietary choices” of cereals: Froot Loops, Reese’s Puffs, Corn Pops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Alpha Bits, and Kool-Aid Singles.  Not exactly a dietician’s power breakfast.

While it’s nice to see product manufacturers taking an interest in kids’ health, perhaps they should start by acknowledging that the bulk of the products they sell, and therefore advertise, are not exactly cornerstones of a healthy diet.  As usual, parental vigilance is what it comes down to.  Don’t fall victim to the nag factor, and continue to introduce and re-introduce healthy, balanced options into your children’s diet.

My goal for this site is to provide relevant, timely, and immensely practical tips and advice for parents of today’s teens.  Stay tuned for more updates and an updated new look!