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Study: Fast-food ads fuel obesity among Hispanic kids

February 20, 2008

Forbes: The large number of fast-food commercials on Spanish-language television in the United States may be contributing to the obesity epidemic among Hispanic youths, according to a study by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Among American children, Hispanics have the highest rates of overweight and obesity.

Researchers reviewed 60 hours of programming airing between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Univision and Telemundo, the two largest Spanish-language channels in the United States. The stations reach 99 percent and 93 percent of U.S. Hispanics, respectively.

The stations averaged two to three food commercials an hour, with one-third specifically targeted to children. Almost half of the food commercials promoted fast food, and more than half of all drink commercials featured soda and drinks with high sugar content.

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