The Scientific American Journal of 22-05-2010 has stated that junk food advertising is playing havoc with the health of television viewers in USA. As many as 1/3rd of the US children are overweight as are 2/3rd of the US adults, putting them at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and other obesity-related ailments. Children that get exposed more to television advertising about junk food tend to be fatter. Soft drink companies show people consuming their products doing outlandish feats inciting more and more children to reach for their brands in a quest to emulate their 'screen heroes. It is being argued in America that protecting children from junk food marketing would help create conditions conducive to achieving a healthier weight average. The junk food companies in US alone spent US$ 1.7 billion in 2007 on advertising. Meanwhile, US$ 147 billion are spent each year in America to cure ill effects of obesity. -DR M. YAQOOB BHATTI, Lahore, June 7.