Banning fast food ads from children’s television programs would help to cull the number of overweight children in the U.S. by as much as 18 percent and reduce the number of overweight teens by 14 percent, according to a new study.

Although the link has been suggested for years, thus far there have been no conclusive results to prove it.

"Our study provides evidence of that link," said Michael Grossman, economics professor at the New York City University and co-author of the study. It is based in part on years of government survey data from the late 1990s when thousands of American families were interviewed.

Another source drawn in by researchers was information on local TV stations in the 75 largest U.S. television markets, including such data as local fast food commercials and the size of viewing audiences.

Statistical methods used in the study presume that the adverts lead to obesity but its calculations address other influences such as income and nearby fast-food restaurants.

They also took into account the potential number of children who were already overweight and inactive regardless of their TV watching habits.

The study’s conclusion recommends a ban on fast-food commercials for children, as such a ban would reduce incidence of obese young children by 18%, and the number of obese older children by 18%. This would translate to a drastic improvement as roughly 30% of American children are thought to be obese or overweight

Experts predicted the study’s important implications in attempts to regulate TV advertising.

Other studies indicate fast food commercials to make up about 23% of food-related advertising seen by children on TV.

The study’s authors did not openly advocate a ban however as Grossman said that some families on the other hand benefit from this advertising by finding out what restaurants are nearby and what they serve.

"A lot of people consume fast food in moderate amounts and it doesn't harm their health," he said.