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A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Report is saying that food companies are targeting children with $1.6 billion worth of food advertisements. In 2006 food companies spent $1.6 billion on food ads targeted at children, many of these ads for carbonated drinks. The report is from concerns about the growing obesity rates in children in the US.

Even though the spending seems large, the study also reported that the spending was less than previously estimated. The study was initiated by Sen. Tom Harkin.

The report studied spending targeted towards children between the ages of 2 and 17.

The FTC recomended:

• Restriting the amount of food ads in children’s television programming.
• Companies that market to children should also encourage healthy habits and exercise.
• Schools should adopt meaningful standards.

You can read the article here. Or see the FTC’s webpage on this here.