"It is perfectly understandable" that advertisers target children, FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate told a conference on advertising held this week, "but it may not be entirely fair."

Children don't understand until they are seven or eight that companies design advertisements not to inform, but to persuade, Tate explained. "Until that age they often accept advertisements as fact."

She spoke to the July 20th Children Now Forum, held in Washington, D.C.

"The problem is that this cognitive ability combined with the prevalence of unhealthy foods and a more sedentary lifestyle have created a perfect storm that has made childhood obesity a nationwide problem," Tate continued.

While the Commissioner, a Republican, conceded that studies on this problem differ, "what I think we all can agree on is that, whatever the specific numbers are, our children are less active and more overweight and therefore less healthy than ever before. Simply put, childhood obesity is an epidemic."

Tate praised various corporations for making progress on this issue, most notably Disney, which recently opted out of its partnership with McDonalds - a move that many observers say was made over concerns about childhood obesity. She also cited General Mills decision to convert its cereal lines to whole grains.

"Oreo cookies and Captain Crunch cereal are not inherently bad," Tate said. "My one request of everyone here is that this discussion not degenerate into an us against them mentality that seems to accompany so many issues we discuss in Washington."

Tates comments come as negotiations between childrens groups and television companies to revise the FCCs rules for childrens advertising appear to be winding down. These rules set a limit of 10.5 minutes of commercials per hour for weekend kids TV. They also forbid childrens shows from promoting Web sites if the site is primarily dedicated to e-commerce or advertising.

The negotiators include Disney, Fox, Viacom, CBS, the American Psychological Association, the National Academy of Pediatrics, and Children Now, which hosted the forum at which Tate made her remarks.

Tate mentioned that the group had recently come to an agreement, "which I hope that the FCC will address very soon."