The eye of the obesity storm: Jordanian children viewing TV – A case study

In 2008, the Faculty of Medicine (in the University of Science & Technology-Jordan) conducted a study that expounded on the dangers of obesity that have bedevilled the young Jordanian. This research explores how junk-food advertisements affected and influenced the increases in child obesity among Jordanian children. A qualitative methodology was applied for this study. Several methods of data collection from the participants (who are children) were employed, including the use of content-analysis to collect data from television cartoon-channel advertisements. Next are semi-structured interviews with children, which were further triangulated, with a collective focus group interview; finally, the researcher used her own field notes during the research. The findings indicated the impact of junk food advertisements on children's behavior, and the results also shed light on the fact that media plays a significant role in increasing the consumption of junk food. The extent to which junk-food advertisements affect the child's eating behavior matches the corresponding relationship in the increases in childhood obesity among Jordanian children.