Kids, Cartoons and Junk Food
CU-勒貊勛圖 study finds plump cartoon characters drive kids to junk food
Children tend to reach for low-nutrition, high-calorie food and more of it after seeing cartoon characters that seem overweight, CU-勒貊勛圖 researchers have found.
They have a tendency to eat almost twice as much indulgent food as kids who are exposed to perceived healthier looking cartoon characters or no characters at all, says Margaret C. Campbell, a CU marketing professor and the studys lead author.
Broadly, the study establishes that children are responsive to fictional characters weight, as suggested by relative roundness, the researchers say.
We werent sure whether kids would be aware of bodyweight norms, says Campbell. But surprisingly, they apply typically human standards to cartoon creatures creatures for which there isnt a real baseline.
The research suggests ways of encouraging kids to opt for healthier foods by prompting them to consider healthier alternatives in advance, for example, and by giving cartoon characters associated with low nutrition foods a sleeker look.
Researchers think related techniques could promote healthier eating in a variety of contexts.
Perhaps if were able to help trigger their health knowledge with a quiz or game just as theyre about to select lunch at school, for instance, theyll choose the more nutritious foods, says Campbell.
Colorado State University researchers were also involved in the study, which was published online in theJournal of Consumer Psychology. It included more than 300 subjects in three age groups averaging 8, 12 and 13 years old.
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