Let’s face it, people are more enticed to by or patronize products that are being endorsed by star celebrities including popular musicians endorse mostly junk food and boosts sales from the consuming public.
When popular musicians endorse mostly junk food, people buy
A recent study published by the New York University Langone Medical Center where researchers conducted a groundbreaking and intensive study over a 14-year period where they ranked a celebrity performer or group with their fan base and the foods and drinks endorsed.
The researchers claimed that this is the first time an extensive nutritional analysis was made as well as the commercial endorsements made by the celebrities on foods and drinks.
The results would cause alarm to the public that has generally given rise to an looming epidemic on overweight children and obesity.
Researchers found that 80 percent of the foods being endorsed by celebrities were categorized as nutrient-poor and 79 percent of beverages endorsed were had high sugar content like sodas and energy drinks.
No celebrity endorsements were found for vegetables, fruits or whole grains, with pistachios being the only product that had health benefits.
A-list celebrities that were considered in the study were Justine Timberlake, Maroon 5, Will.I.Am, and Bauer, among others, endorsed a variety of regular and diet soda drinks, corn chips, fast food chains, energy drinks, processed foods and a lot of other junk food varieties.
No less the $2 billion is spent every year by food and drink companies that target their advertisements on the youth, allowing children to see some 4,700 ads and 5,900 ads for teenagers each year.
“These celebrity endorsement deals are often worth millions of dollars each, suggesting companies find them critical for promoting products,” said lead study author Marie Bragg, a faculty member at the NYU College of Global Public Health, adding that “food advertising leads to overeating, and the food industry spends $1.8 billion per year marketing to youth alone.”
“The popularity of music celebrities among adolescents makes them uniquely poised to serve as positive role models,” study co-author Alysa N. Miller said, as she pointed out that “celebrities should be aware that their endorsements could exacerbate society’s struggle with obesity, and they should endorse healthy products instead.”
Experts agree that it may be difficult to have these youths break free from the appeal of the product with their pop idols, they hope that massive education and awareness drives may turn the tides where popular musicians endorse mostly junk food to realize the impacts of their endorsements among children.
Image Credit: Musicians popular with teens endorse mostly junk food, study finds – CNN
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