It is not always easy for parents to get junk food-craving offspring excited about vegetables. For many kids, a packet of crisps seems more enticing than carrot sticks, and broccoli is often left uneaten.

But a new study published in the journal Pediatrics shows that marketing can nearly triple the chances of a child choosing to eat vegetables at lunch.

The researchers placed banners with vegetable characters to the salad bar and showed the kids television segments with the characters.

Bad eating habits often result in weight issues - 40 per cent of Maltese children are either obese or overweight.

The results were astounding. Before the banners, only about 12 per cent of students took vegetables, but after the banners the numbers increased to 24 per cent - a 90 per cent increase.

When kids were exposed to both banners and the television segments, the increase in students choosing vegetables for lunch was more than 200 per cent. Before the marketing tactics, only about 10 per cent of kids chose to take vegetables, but after, about 34 per cent did.

Showing only television segments did not impact children’s eating behaviours significantly, much to the researchers’ surprise.

Studies have shown that marketing works on children. In a separate study, researchers showed that by being exposed to advertisements of unhealthy food, kids were more likely to consume more junk food. The research also showed the advertisements to be most effective on children aged 8 or younger.

Advertisements are not the only factor influencing kids and their diets. The example set by parents also plays an important role in children’s eating habits. Parents can support children’s healthy eating by setting an example, serving fruit and vegetables whenever food is offered and providing healthy snacks to kids.