More than one-third of ads aimed at kids and adolescents are for candy and snacks, those high-fat,
sugary foods that are blamed for widespread childhood obesity. Children 8 to 12 see the most food commercials, averaging 21 a day or 7,600 per year -- nearly 51 hours. Teens aged 13 to 17 see 17 a
day, or more than 6,000 per year and tots 2 to 7 view 12 per day, or 4,400 a year.
The researchers analyzed about 1,600 hours of programming from late May to mid-July of 2005, with some additional sampling in September of the same year. That is 30 times more than has ever been included in previous reports.
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