There should be a ban on television advertisements aimed at children.

I. Food for High EnergyChildren naturally like foods that are rich in fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates give long-lasting energy to children because they take longer to break down for the body to use. [1] Protein, too, provides kids with healthy energy. [1] And fats are an essential part of a child's diet, since it can be burned as energy (which children tend to have a lot of of.) [2] The tendency of children to enjoy this type of food is understandable (since children innately require a lot of energy, since they are growing and typically quite physically active), and when intake is managed, high-fat/high-carb/high-protein foods can prove to be beneficial to a child's diet. II. Parents' BurdenA problem arises, however, when the aforementioned foods are overconsumed. This is an issue that stems from parents' irresponsibility and is not the burden of corporations that advertise unhealthy products. Parents should be encouraging children to engage in physical activities and limiting their intake of unhealthy foods. Ultimately, the people who have the power to purchase unhealthy food are the parents, not the children. A solution to this, as suggested by Harvard University obesity researcher David Ludwig, is to make parents who allow their children to become super-obese to lose custody. [3] It comes down to the parents' decision to neglect their children, essentially. Managing a child's health is a responsbility of a parent, and corporations should not be expected to contribute to this role. No commercial has the ability to directly convince a child to "buy" anything; the most it can do is cause a child to ask a parent or guardian to make a purchase. At that point, it is up to the parent or guardian to make a decision. III. Freedom of ExpressionMany commercials are not "just for kids" or "just for adults." Some have elements that attract people from both of these age groups. It is very difficult to categorize many commercials into age groups. Who is to say whether or not a certain commercial specifically targets children or not? In some instances, the situation is cut and dry (e.g., Ronald McDonald), but it's not always so clear. Furthermore, sometimes children watch programs that adults enjoy; does that mean some adult advertisements should be gotten rid of to? This subjectivity has the potential of being overextended that ultimately could lead to abuse of censorship. This leads into the second part of this claim:Censoring advertisements toward children is an attack on fundamental freedom of speech. Corporations have the right to publicly market their legal products. Moreover, children have the right to receive information and take their own standpoint on issues. Censorship of programs, such as advertisements, would restrict the world views that children are exposed to. Although it is often stated that television brainwashes children, this is blatant hyperbole; a much larger threat is depriving children of the freedom to acquire information and establish their own viewpoints on matters. ---In conclusion, there should not be a ban on television advertisements aimed at children.Thank you.[1] http://www.ehow.com...[2] http://kidshealth.org...[3] http://abcnews.go.com...