I'm lovin it

Personally I think that everyone would be a lot healthier without having fast food around, and in a way a lot of people are addicted to it. It becomes something that is so common instead of actually cooking, and it seems so much more convienent than actually cooking, however, the health affects can be devastating. As in the film with the young adult who had a heart attack.

He was making a film for a scholarship opportunity, and he decided that he was going to eat McDonald's every day for a month. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He regretted the decision. By the end of just ONE month he was in the hospital facing a heart attack. He had gained a substantial amount of weight, and the unhealthiness of his body was taking control, to the face of death. Luckily he pulled out of it, and is doing better, but the health issues that he incurred are long lasting. He will never be the same that he was.

Of course, he won the scholarship, but at the risk of his life. If you really think about it the average meal at McDonalds costs 5.00 if you have 3 people in the home that's 15.00 that you are spending each time you eat there. Average about once a week, that equals 60.00 a month, and for a broader perspective that's 720.00 a year that you could be saving. That's a whole lot of groceries.

When we are not traveling we do not eat out. Don't get me wrong, McDonald's has some great tasting food, however, homecooked is much better for me, and a lot healthier for me and my family. I won't give into my kids if they felt that they needed it that bad, then again if it had been a long time since they have eaten it then I would. We on average eat out about every 3 months. We find that it saves so much more money which frees it up for things like Christmas Gifts, and family fun trips to an amusement park or something like that. A lot healthier, and a lot more fun. Great discussion.

Commercials and news shows are two of the mainreasons I don't watch television...that and I think it's absurd to PAY to be brainwashed!!! LOL!!!

Don't get me wrong, I have a television and watch it every day, but I watch DVD's and videos that I choose. This is very important to me, as I can use my television to teach my 2-year-old preschool things.

I babysit another 2-year-old a couple of times a week and this morning her mother asked me if I had been teaching her colors, because all of a sudden her daughter knew colors. A couple weeks ago she asked me the same things about the alphabet.

The television is a teaching tool and a wonderful brainwashing device. I'm brainwashing these kids to learn to read, count, identify colors and shapes as well as learn sign-language.

If you and your kids don't watch fast food commercials, odds are in favor that you're not going to want fast food.

Happy MyLotting!

Wow, I knew there seemed to be a lot of fast food commercials on the tv, but I never dreamed it was that much! I think in some respects it does influence the children to want to eat there more. I don't think they need to advertise their games or special items that you can get there for kids. That makes it too much more tempting to them. It's a struggle to get kids to eat right, and I don't think these commercials help. I do think too that lots of parents simply give in rather than argue about it. It's a shame that childhood obesity is so much on the rise. I know when I see one of those commercials it does kind of make me hungrier, even if I wasn't hungry to begin with. They make it all look so mouth-watering good. While banning the commercials might help some (and I do think it needs regulation more regarding content in commercials), I still believe it is the parent who has to teach them healthier habits right from when they're young. When my kids were little I would take them to McD's, but only as a once in a while treat, and not on a daily or even weekly basis.

It is not only fast food that is advertised on television. On Saturday morning particularly the kids get a steady diet of plastic toys and sugary cereals. These cereals are full of sugar and refined flours and are way overpriced. The cereal companies know the kids are enticed with bright colours, cartoon characters and cheap prizes in the boxes. This stuff costs more per pound than beef.

I'm sure a lot of kids get influenced by those commercials.
I myself haven;t eaten any fast food in a long time.
Maybe 4 times a year i get a burger.

Some fast food commercials do make me crave something to eat alot of times, whether I am hungry or not. It does influence children also and I have gave into my daughter during those times too.

Yes watching fast food commercials makes me wanna eat when i'm hungry.But the problem is theres no fast food outlet near my house.I would not buy fast food much because i would waste a lot of money.I would buy fresh fruits and vegetables.If my kids wanna eat fast food.I will give it to them once a month.

From what I've seen, it isn't pressure from the kids that causes some parents to buy fast food,it's convenience. They don't have the time to cook or don't want to because their lives are too busy. They need to learn there are tasty quickly prepared foods they can toss together that are nutritious.

That being said, I do sometimes crave a food item when I see a commercial on TV but I don't run out and buy them.

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Even if fast food commercials influence kids to want them, parents are still in control of what is bought and fed to the children. I think if parents actually talked about healthy eating and healthy habits as well as show their children they are committed to healthy eating with their actions, the parents behavior would have a greater affect on children than commercials or even peer pressure.