Multiple techniques and channels are used to reach youth, beginning when they are toddlers, to build brand identification and influence food product purchases. Unfortunately, foods marketed to children—from highly sweetened cereals to cookies, candy, fast foods, and soda—are predominantly high in calories, sugar, and fat. Food marketers are interested in children and adolescents as consumers because children spend billions of their own dollars annually, influence how billions more are spent through household food purchases, and are future adult consumers (Kraak, 1998, McNeal, 1998). Children under 12 years of age spend an estimated.
