# Idea: Junk food ads should be banned from using skinny people **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 2, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099 "2014-12-02T03:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/21 "2014-12-02T13:59:46Z")
People are stupid and need the government to control what information they get. Gee, where did we hear that recently? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/22 "2014-12-02T14:12:03Z")
You think the people portrayed in food ads are the problem? Every one I see is flat out food porn, with the food item or items so plumped, primped, fluffed and presented in oversaturated color that any people are just getting in the way. Most burger commercials could blind you with their garish red and greens. I suggest that presenting the food like a centerfold has far more impact than the skinny family squealing over their bag of Mickey D’s or frozen pizza or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/23 "2014-12-02T14:15:52Z")
When I was eating fast food and downing cans of pop all the time I was skinny. That’s just how my metabolism was at the time. If it was responsible for adding fat to my body then maybe there should be an ad with skinny young people thanking junk food for the padding that makes it possible to survive a cool summer breeze without getting hypothermia and sit comfortably on their otherwise too boney butts. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/24 "2014-12-03T12:21:03Z")
> [@Hayden](#): > > That’s a horrible idea. Junk food doesn’t cause obesity. People cause obesity. > > You can eat as much junk food as you want and not gain weight as long as you burn off those calories. That’s not to say it’s healthy obviously, but still. QFE, and also because it saved me from having to say it. So another vote for this. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/25 "2014-12-05T01:23:25Z")
Usain Bolt didn’t like any of the food at the Beijing Olympics, so he ate 100 chicken nuggets - each day. Does that mean if I eat 100 chicken nuggets…? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/26 "2014-12-05T01:30:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > People are stupid and need the government to control what information they get. > > Gee, where did we hear that recently? Not how I would phrase either of those things, but okay. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/27 "2014-12-05T04:15:50Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > Usain Bolt didn’t like any of the food at the Beijing Olympics, so he ate 100 chicken nuggets - each day. > > Does that mean if I eat 100 chicken nuggets…? Yes. You’ll get the runs like Usain Bolt. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/28 "2014-12-05T17:49:13Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > Lots of junkfood ads have very thin people in their ads, despite junkfood causing obesity. > > Should companies be forced to use more realistic looking consumers in their ads. Wait, are you saying they should only market junk food to fat people? I would think that the people who are best suited to consuming junk food are people who are skinny or in shape. Would you also suggest that alcohol ads only target abusive alcoholics and street people? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/29 "2014-12-05T18:00:27Z")
Should cigarette ads should be banned from using cancer-free people? ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/30 "2014-12-05T18:53:22Z")
Legislating the use of only fat people in junk food ads would be a matter of definitions. Defining fat people would be a matter of duking out just where you want to portray _fat_ on the BMI. However, the definition of junk food would be more problematic. Do we use fat content? Calorie content? Carb count? Lack of fruits and veggies? Whether or not it’s organic, gluten or GMO-free? Low sodium? A legal definition of junk food would be nightmarish, to say the least. At that point, the food companies involved would develop their product to meet the minimum standards and still raise the prices to cover the extra expense. The food that we consume would be minimally better for us, but would cost more and be able to use “skinny” people in their ads. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/31 "2014-12-05T22:08:52Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Should cigarette ads should be banned from using cancer-free people? Depends where you live, but some places buying a pack of smokes gets you a plain black & white box that basically says “if you smoke these you will die.” Reminds me of the controversy over AIDS medication advertising. Open a gay magazine and you see these beautiful people playing volleyball and surfing and generally being fabulous, and the criticism was that they were sending the wrong message about HIV. In fact, there do seem to be some people who think being HIV positive is trendy, and you get a legal prescription for steroids so you can buff up at the gym and be fabulous and get laid a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/32 "2014-12-05T22:48:24Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > \<_snip\>_ you get a legal prescription for steroids so you can buff up at the gym Cite? Not that certain steroids arent used to fight muscle wasting seen in AIDS patients but specifically for the purpose you claim here. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/33 "2014-12-06T02:47:47Z")
It would be unconstitutional for the government to regulate legal advertising content. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/34 "2014-12-06T03:36:59Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > It would be unconstitutional for the government to regulate legal advertising content. Cigarettes, for example? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/35 "2014-12-06T18:37:28Z")
> [@missred](#): > > Cigarettes, for example? That was because the tobacco companies agreed to the ban in the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. There are constitutional doubts whether it could be imposed otherwise. See [here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/11/18/can-california-ban-gun-stores-from-advertising-handguns-on-their-signs-2/) for more. ---
**Author:** ![colbster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@colbster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colbster)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/36 "2016-03-24T18:22:07Z")
Actually in North America it is illegal to show sexual success as a direct result of drinking the alcoholic product… but it is implied all the time. If two people kiss in a beer ad for example you won’t see the beer in the shot. ---
**Author:** ![colbster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@colbster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colbster)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/37 "2016-03-24T18:23:30Z")
The fact is, fat people who drink soda will see the coke ad and think they can look like those skinny people while drinking coke. It’s deceptive and I think it should be illegal. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/38 "2016-03-24T18:25:29Z")
> [@colbster](#): > > The fact is, fat people who drink soda will see the coke ad and think they can look like those skinny people while drinking coke. It’s deceptive and I think it should be illegal. Exactly how much should a person have to weigh in order for the commercial to be legal? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/39 "2016-03-24T18:33:26Z")
When I see an ad for junk food, I’m not paying attention to the actors in the commercial. I’m paying attention to the product. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099/40 "2016-03-24T18:33:47Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > B)You suggest that junk food ads can’t use skinny people…why don’t you go ahead and give us a minimum weight that people have to be to appear in junk food commercials? If someone is 5’5 and female, do they need to be 180? 200? 250? Is 150 above being skinny to you? 140? 120? It was your suggestion, you make the call, I’d like to hear it. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Exactly how much should a person have to weigh in order for the commercial to be legal? Ninja’d…by a year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-junk-food-ads-should-be-banned-from-using-skinny-people/706099.md?page=3)