I would give a resounding YES as my answer to that question.
However, a Canadian researcher is looking to find her own, more official answer to that question by doing a study regarding the correlation between Tv ads for junk food and the weight of children. Apparently, the law in Qubec prohibts advertisers from targeting children under the age of 13, and even those these children watch more tv and get less exercise than children in other Canadian provinces, they actually weigh less.
Coincidence? Methinks not.
Any parent knows that commercials sell, sell, sell those sugary junk foods hardcore. They are fun! Your friends all eat them! You will jump on a skateboard and do tricks after eating one! You will turn a different color! And that big scary looking pitcher with eyes is going to be your friend!
Or you might develop Type 2 diabetes before you are even a teen if you eat enough of the junk advertised.
The researcher is compiling the data and hope to announce her findings by fall, and I am interested to see what the results are.