the standard american diet
& our children

• Advertisers disproportionately target children in order to establish lifelong habits. In the U.S., the average child watches 10,000 commercials each year, more than any other segment of the population. 90% of these ads are for sugary cereals, candy, soda, or other junk food.
   
• McDonald's operates more playgrounds than any other private entity in the U.S. It is also one of the nation's largest distributors of toys. 90% of all kids eat at McDonald's at least once a month. Ronald McDonald is the world's most well-known figure.
   
• In November 1997, the Colorado Springs, Colorado, school district signed a ten-year deal with Coca-Cola for $8 million, and more if it exceeds the requirement of selling 70,000 cases of coke products annually.
   
• One contract prompted a school district to push Coca-Cola consumption in the classrooms when sales fell below contractual obligations.
   
• One-third of all toys that are given away are given away by fast food restaurants, many of them being recalled for safety reasons.
   
• In general, soda consumption has increased by over 500% in the last 50 years. Among our children, just in the last 20 years, soda consumption has doubled for girls and tripled for boys. The profit margin on soda is 90%.
   
• A recent study published in The Lancet journal showed that for every soft drink or sweetened beverage a child drinks per day, their obesity risk increases by 60%.
   
• The percentage of children who are overweight has doubled in the past 20 years. 20% of minority children and 12% of white children are classified as obese.
   
• Dr. Lendon Smith, retired pediatrician and author, found that of the 6,000 hyperactive children he treated, more than 75% got better just by changing their diets and taking nutritional supplements.
   
• A pediatrician interviewed on a recent segment (Feb. '02) of the CBS news program, 60 Minutes, reported that children as young as 6-10 years old are now showing up with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even having heart attacks.