Essay On Junk Food

In this hectic world, people look for ways to save most of their time. They do not even have time to prepare a good and healthy meal for themselves. That's when the food companies come to their rescue with their low nutritional products. These are readily available packaged snacks with high sugar or salt content with little to no proteins, vitamins and minerals. Billions of dollars are spent each year for marketing these silent killer foods to people who are looking for alternative convenient snacks. "The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food" written by Michael Moss tells us about the reasons behind the popularity and addiction of junk foods. People are being manipulated into buying junk foods and fast foods which boosts their addiction.

The food companies are similar to tobacco companies in many ways. Both of their products are addictive and unhealthy, and spend an abundant amount of money in advertising. It is easier to manipulate children's psychology, so they become the target for the companies. Brownell, a professor of psychology and public health from Yale University states," As a culture, we've become upset by the tobacco companies advertising to children, but we sit idly by while the food companies do the very same thing." (Moss 474). The advertisements are all over the internet, TV channels, billboards, etc. to tempt the children if they have not been yet tempted by the addictive taste of the silent killer. In addition to this, some companies give free toys with their products to appeal the children. This makes it harder for the parents to say no to their children. Companies do whatever it takes to make children persuade their parents into buying them.
The advertisements are one of the few business strategies, companies use to market their products. Moss provides examples of "Yoplait", "repacking chips into smaller bags" and "Dr Pepper" to support this statement (Moss 481-489).Companies alter their products to satisfy different groups of people, even if it means to add more sugar, salt or fat to the already low nutritional