According to this CNN article, a recent study conducted by the Institute of Medicine has found that the average American 7-12 year old sees around 7600 food advertisements each year.  I don’t think this number includes radio ads, as the average American 7-12 year old can not see sound.  Over 40% of these visual ads are for candy, snacks and fast food.  Additionally, the number of public service announcements regarding fitness and nutrition compared to these hilarious and effective ads is paltry at best, on the order of 1 psa for every 48 spots.

Another fun fact I learned is that 29% of all child-seeking food commercial-missiles are for cereal.  The article does not qualify cereal as a good food or bad food but I can only assume that because cereal is so fun it must be bad for kids.

The Institute has decided that it would be cool if companies would try to push healthier things into kids’ brains and stomachs.  You know, like nutritional knowledge and seafood respectively.

via CNN