|
|
According to the April 29, 2012 EurekAlert article TV alcohol advertising may play role in underage drinking, 'Minors who were familiar with television alcohol advertisements were more likely to have tried alcoholic beverages and binge drink than those who could not recall seeing such ads, according to a study to be presented Sunday, April 29, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston.'
According to the 4/29/12 EurekAlert article Familiarity with television fast-food ads linked to obesity, 'There is a long-held concern that youths who eat a lot of fast food are at risk for becoming overweight. New research to be presented Sunday, April 29, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston shows that greater familiarity with fast-food restaurant advertising on television is associated with obesity in young people.'
Researchers from the same organization led both studies. It sounds that both studies were done independently from one another, but with the knowledge that each other's study was being performed around the same time.
Both studies show the dramatic effect that television advertisements in the United States have on our children.
Dr. Susanne E. Tanski is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and the lead author of the first article (the one on underage alcohol drinking and TV ads).
Tanski states, "At present, the alcohol industry employs voluntary standards to direct their advertising to audiences comprised of adults of legal drinking age. Our findings of high levels of familiarity with alcohol ads demonstrate that underage youth still frequently see these ads.' [EurekAlert]
The main conclusion of this study was: 'Study shows that minors who recognize ads for beer and spirits are more likely to drink.'
Tanski adds, 'While this study cannot determine which came first '” the exposure to advertising or the drinking behavior '” it does suggest that alcohol advertising may play a role in underage drinking, and the standards for alcohol ad placement perhaps should be more strict."
Page two concludes.
