WASHINGTON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- A new study released Tuesday by the U.S. Kaiser Family Foundation found that children of all ages are being exposed to TV commercials for junk foods at an alarming rate.

    The study concluded that children from 8 to 12 years of age viewed the most food commercials, an average of 21 a day or more than 7,600 per year. Among other age groups, teens viewed approximately 17 food advertisements per day or over 6,000 a year, while children aged 2 to 7 saw about 12 per day or 4,400 a year.

    The study, which is the largest ever carried out on television advertising aimed at kids, had researchers look at and analyze commercials during 1,638 hours of TV programming on networks such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS, the Cartoon Network, Disney, MTV, and Nickelodeon.

    Vicky Rideout, vice president of the foundation and co-author of the study, said the significance of the study was "that most of the food advertisements that kids see on TV today are for foods that nutritionists would argue children probably need to be eatingless of, not more of."

    "Sugared cereals, candies, chips, fast foods, sodas, and soft drinks comprise more than 80 percent of all the advertisements targeted at children and teens." she said.

    Nearly 25 million children and teenagers in the United States are either overweight or obese.

    Several reports from the U.S. Institute of Medicine address the issue of food marketing to children and its role in the epidemic of childhood obesity.

    Experts have offered a national plan of action -- calling on the food, beverage, and entertainment industries to voluntarily develop and implement guidelines for advertising and marketing directed at children and youths.

    But if voluntary efforts fail to achieve a substantial shift toward healthier products, Congress should consider mandating changes in food and beverage advertising on television, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.