Researchers from the University of Liverpool say that obese and overweight children consume 100% more food after watching food advertisements on television.

The British scientists worked with a group of sixty children of varying weights, aged 9 to 11. The young participants were shown a series of food television adverts and toy adverts, after which they watched a cartoon.

The researchers observed that the children ate significantly more after being exposed to food adverts, compared to exposure to toy adverts, in all weight groups. The obese children increased their consumption by 134%; overweight children by 101% and normal weight children by 84%.

Dr Jason Halford, Director of the University’s Kissileff Human Ingestive Behaviour Laboratory commented: “Our research confirms food TV advertising has a profound effect on all children’s eating habits – doubling their consumption rate.”

He added: “The study was also particularly interesting in suggesting a strong connection between weight and susceptibility to over-eating when exposed to food adverts on television.”

In Great Britain, 14% of children are classed as obese. The average UK child watches 17 hours of commercial television a week. A ban on junk food advertising around children’s television programs was introduced in the UK in January 2007.

This may still not be enough, as surveys have shown that many children still watch TV in the evening, when the ban does not apply.

It was not that long ago when the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement titled “Children, Adolescents and Advertising,” warning that children are overwhelmed by advertisements from extremely early ages, which lead them to obesity, smoking, drinking, premature sex and more.

At the time, the academy asked Congress to implement a ban on junk food advertising, as childhood obesity has become one of the major health concerns among pediatricians.