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In a recent article (As McDonald's Targets Chronically SickKids, Is It Unethical?), Robyn O'Brien writes:

In an effort to protect children’s health around the globe,there has been a growing call to end the marketing of junk foods tochildren. Jack in the Box has responded, as has KFC Australia, buthere in the US, our children are still exposed to a tsunami of ads,on TV, online and in school.

The Institute of Medicine and the National Bureau of EconomicResearch find ending junk food marketing directed at kids couldspare the health of millions of children. The White House, fourfederal agencies (the FTC, FDA, CDC and USDA) recommend curbingjunk food marketing kids and the American Academy of Pediatricsgoes even further recommending Congress ban junk food advertisingduring children’s programming.

But it’s still a no-go here in the US. The fast food industryspends more than $5 million per day marketing unhealthy foods tokids.

In 2010, the food and beverage industry spent over $40 billionlobbying congress against several regulations including those thatwould decrease the marketing of unhealthy foods to kids, andpotential soda taxes. That’s about ten times more money than theentire FDA budget for the year.

The question, then, is whether it is unethical forcompanies like McDonald's or Coca-Cola to target its advertising tochildren. Should there be restrictions on the advertising offast-food and carbonated beverages to children?