(photo by David Matlin)

My niece and her husband are some of the best informed people I know when it comes to food and nutrition. Once they were looking after a young child and took her on a day trip. Riding home in the car it was time to get a bite to eat. The child asked if they could go to McDonald's. Not wanting to feed the child unhealthy food they said there was no McDonald's in the area. Though still too young to read, the child spotted a pair of golden arches and exclaimed that there was one just ahead.

Once again, advertising made it happen.

In his ground-breaking bestseller, Fast Food Nation, author Eric Schlosser details how fast food companies practice marketing to children. We highly recommend Mr. Schlosser's book to anyone concerned about the nation's food system and how it has contributed to soaring rates of obesity and diabetes among Americans.

Many parents know first hand that the advertising from fast food corporations is reaching their children. Experience has taught them that what the corporations see as effective marketing is making it tougher to feed their kids nutritious meals.

A study carried out by Liverpool University researchers has reached the same conclusion as many parents,

Our research confirms food TV advertising has a profound effect on all children's eating habits doubling their consumption rate ... suggesting a strong connection between weight and susceptibility to overeating when exposed to food adverts on television.

To read an article about the study in Britain's Independent Online go to: Ditch the food ads if you want healthy kids

To purchase a copy of Eric Schlosser's bestseller go to: Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal