Post by Inside Australian Idol on Jul 1, 2004 3:59:57 GMT 10
Tweens lap up Bart, fast food
By Julian Lee
July 1, 2004
Australia's tweens are a generation of TV-watching, fast food eating Bart Simpson fans, according to the results of a survey on the behaviour of six to 13-year-olds.
Tweens continue to watch an estimated 18 hours of TV a week - marginally more than the 16.8 hours an adult watches - with the vast majority of it spent watching that perennial favourite The Simpsons, according to the results of a Roy Morgan survey.
More than 90 per cent of the 1853 kids who participated in the survey in the three months to March watched TV regularly, with 77 per cent citing The Simpsons as their favourite show, followed at 55 per cent by another Ten Network banker, Australian Idol. Homer and his family also rated poll position in the cool stakes.
While TV was the top medium for both sexes - with prime-time programs accounting for the bulk of viewing time - girls favoured magazines, the cinema, the internet and the radio more than boys did.
"This says to me that it's harder to pigeonhole young people," said Roy Morgan's Angela Brooks, who compiled the data.
"They are watching a show that goes out at 6pm and which is watched by just as many adults as it is by kids."
Even when they are not watching free-to-air or cable programs, tweens spend up to seven hours a week playing DVDs and watching videos, twice as much time as they spend on their homework.
But it is Morgan's findings on food consumption that are set to raise the most eyebrows, given the debate on obesity in children. When asked if they liked to eat "healthy foods", 78 per cent said yes; but when asked to choose their favourite foods, hot chips, pizzas, fish and chips, chicken nuggets and barbecue chicken were at the top of the list.
The research also revealed that 80 per cent had visited a fast food outlet in the past four weeks and 32 per cent said they visited at least once a week, with McDonald's the favourite. Chocolate was eaten every day.
And while fresh fruit was the top food group in the morning break and after school, it appeared for a reason, said Ms Brooks. "You have to take into consideration that their parents pack their lunch."
www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/30/1088488024367.html
By Julian Lee
July 1, 2004
Australia's tweens are a generation of TV-watching, fast food eating Bart Simpson fans, according to the results of a survey on the behaviour of six to 13-year-olds.
Tweens continue to watch an estimated 18 hours of TV a week - marginally more than the 16.8 hours an adult watches - with the vast majority of it spent watching that perennial favourite The Simpsons, according to the results of a Roy Morgan survey.
More than 90 per cent of the 1853 kids who participated in the survey in the three months to March watched TV regularly, with 77 per cent citing The Simpsons as their favourite show, followed at 55 per cent by another Ten Network banker, Australian Idol. Homer and his family also rated poll position in the cool stakes.
While TV was the top medium for both sexes - with prime-time programs accounting for the bulk of viewing time - girls favoured magazines, the cinema, the internet and the radio more than boys did.
"This says to me that it's harder to pigeonhole young people," said Roy Morgan's Angela Brooks, who compiled the data.
"They are watching a show that goes out at 6pm and which is watched by just as many adults as it is by kids."
Even when they are not watching free-to-air or cable programs, tweens spend up to seven hours a week playing DVDs and watching videos, twice as much time as they spend on their homework.
But it is Morgan's findings on food consumption that are set to raise the most eyebrows, given the debate on obesity in children. When asked if they liked to eat "healthy foods", 78 per cent said yes; but when asked to choose their favourite foods, hot chips, pizzas, fish and chips, chicken nuggets and barbecue chicken were at the top of the list.
The research also revealed that 80 per cent had visited a fast food outlet in the past four weeks and 32 per cent said they visited at least once a week, with McDonald's the favourite. Chocolate was eaten every day.
And while fresh fruit was the top food group in the morning break and after school, it appeared for a reason, said Ms Brooks. "You have to take into consideration that their parents pack their lunch."
www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/30/1088488024367.html
