LONDON- Parents beware! Online candy games are making your kids eat more according to a new study.
Researchers found that shortly after playing a game with an embedded food advertisement, children ate 55% more of the candy offered to them than children who had played a game with an embedded toy advertisement.
At least once a week, two thirds of all children of primary-school age will play an internet game that was created to draw attention to a brand, researchers said.
Most of these advertisements are for snacks and candy.
Only 6% of these children are aware that such adver-games are advertisements.
Such games do affect their behavior, said Frans Folkvord, from Radboud University in The Netherlands.
Folkvord tested the effects of such hidden online food advertisements on the eating behavior of more than 1,000 children.
“In contrast to television, where the clearly delimited blocks of commercials can help viewers guard against temptation, on the internet, advertising is mixed with other types of content,” said Folkvord.
“The websites of food manufacturers contain games, which also offer children the option of sharing games with their friends,” he said.
This also spreads the temptation.
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