Are advertisers influencing children's decisions through comics and magazines?

Recent evidence demonstrates that young people are increasingly consuming a nutritionally poor diet that is predisposing them to obesity and other health-related problems. The most notable of these for dental professionals is dental caries. Sugar consumption is a hot topic, with more media coverage of late since the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that sugar consumption should be halved. Sugar has become the new ‘tobacco’ with health groups such as the WHO and UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) stating we should be aiming for it to make up no more than 5% of our daily energy intake. This is contrary to our current UK dietary reference guidelines, which state that free sugars (sugars added to foods) should provide no more than 10% of the total energy intake for children and adults.