Chicago — Children are seeing fewer television advertisements for candy and sweetened beverages, according to a newly published study.

Researchers found daily exposure to ads for sweets has decreased 41 percent for children ages 2 to 5, 29.3 percent for those ages 6 to 11, and 12.1 percent for those ages 12 to 17. Food commercials are down 13.7 percent among children ages 2 to 5 and 3.7 percent among children ages 6 to 11.

In addition, TV ads for sugar-sweetened beverages decreased 27 percent across all age groups. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and published in the current issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, the study was conducted to examine changes in state-specific obesity rates for children and adolescents between 2003 and 2007.