Marketing Cardiovascular Mortality? Healthy vs. Unhealthy Food in Television Advertising

Background:Cardiovascular disease has been the leading killer of Americans since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, social distancing and stay-at-home requests, there has been increased television (TV) engagement, and marketing has become more impactful in modifying consumer behaviors. Objective: We evaluated the healthfulness of food marketing, based on commercials most frequently aired on American primetime networks during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods:We reviewed a total of 104 TV commercials, 89 chosen randomly during TV watching and 14 targeted to enrich the sample with the leading quick service restaurants (“fast-food chains”). The commercials fell into 4 categories: 1) fast-food chains, 2) brand-recognized individual items, 3) grocery chains, and 4) home-delivery meals. The food items displayed in each commercial were recorded and scored based on the previously validated healthful versus unhealthful nutrition scoring system, assigning either positive or negative values for each food item in the commercial. Results:We found that 58% of the commercials advertised fast-food chains (mean score = -3.1, i.e., 3.1 more unhealthy than healthy items per commercial), while 27% were brand-recognized individual items (-0.82), 9% were grocery chains (-0.4), and 6% were for home-delivery meals (0.83); each was less unhealthy than fast-food (p< 0.0001). Conclusions:Commercial TV in the US routinely promotes the consumption of foods that are known to be unhealthy, particularly those underpinning cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. Regulation and/or legislation to curtail the frequency and/or content of these commercials, and consider a ban on such advertising to children, similar to that previously employed in Canada and the European Union.

Prevalence and Correlates of US Adult Public Opinion on Restricting Junk Food Advertising to Children on Social Media: 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey

Objective: To describe US adults’ levels of support, neutrality, and opposition to restricting junk food advertising to children on social media and explore associations with sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. Design: In 2020-2021, we used cross-sectional data from the National Cancer Institute’s 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey to estimate the prevalence of opinions toward advertising restrictions, and correlates of neutrality and opposition using weighted multivariable logistic regression. Setting: United States. Participants: Adults aged 18+ years. Results: Among the analytic sample (n=2852), 54% of adults were neutral or opposed to junk food advertising restrictions on social media. The odds of being neutral or opposed were higher among Non-Hispanic Black adults (vs non-Hispanic White; OR: 2.03 (95% CI: 1.26, 3.26)); those completing some college (OR: 1.68 (95% CI: 1.20, 2.34)) or high school or less (OR: 2.62 (95% CI: 1.74, 3.96)) (vs those with a college degree); those who were overweight (vs normal weight; OR: 1.42 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.93)); and those reporting a moderate (OR: 1.45 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.88)) or conservative (OR: 1.71 (95% CI: 1.24, 2.35)) political viewpoint (vs liberal). Having strong (vs weaker) weight and diet-related cancer beliefs was associated with 53% lower odds of being neutral or opposed to advertising restrictions (OR: 0.47 (95% CI: 0.36, 0.61)). Conclusions: This study identified subgroups of US adults for whom targeted communication strategies may increase support for policies to improve children’s food environment.

The targeting of preschoolers, children, adolescents and adults by the Canadian food and beverage industry on television: A cross-sectional study

Unhealthy food advertising can negatively impact children’s food preferences and nutritional health. In Canada, only companies participating in the self-regulatory Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CAI) commit to limiting unhealthy food advertising to children. We analyzed food advertising from 182 Canadian television stations in 2018. A principal component analysis explored patterns of advertising by 497 food companies and their targeting of preschoolers, children, adolescents, and adults. Chi-square analyses tested differences in the volume of advertising between target age groups by heavily advertising food companies and by CAI-participating and non-participating companies. In 2018, Maple Leaf Foods, Boulangerie St-Méthode, Exceldor Foods, Goodfood Market and Sobeys advertised most frequently during preschooler-programming. General Mills, Kellogg’s, the Topps Company, Parmalat and Post Foods advertised most frequently during child-programming, while Burger King, McDonald’s, General Mills, Kellogg’s and Wendy’s advertised most frequently during adolescent-programming. CAI-participating companies were responsible for over half of the food advertising broadcast during programs targeted to children (55%), while they accounted for less than half of the food advertising aired during programs targeting preschoolers (24%), adolescents (41%) and adults (42%). Statutory food advertising restrictions are needed to limit food companies’ targeting of young people on television in Canada. Novelty: •Advertising from fast food restaurant chains dominated television programming targeted to adolescents in 2018. •Advertising from breakfast cereal, candy, and snack manufacturers dominated television programming targeted at children in 2018. •Over 100 Canadian and transnational companies contravened broadcast restrictions on advertising to preschoolers in 2018.

Food and Beverage Advertising Influences Children’s Food Choices: An Assessment of Advertising on Bangladeshi TV Channel

Food advertising to children is a frequent burning question that is at the center of the debate. And the purpose of this paper is to critically investigate the assertions and the indication. Several issues are examined: the children’s understanding of advertising, the content of advertising to children, children’s food choice and behavior, and the effect of advertising on food choice. Recognized conclusions are the following: that children understand the function of advertising from the age of 5–9 years, although there are some limitations on how effectively they apply this knowledge; that children play an active role in food choice in families; that children’s dietary preferences and habits are well-established before advertising is understood; and that advertising’s role in children’s food choices and preferences is multi-factorial and complex. The sample of 100 respondents was selected through random sampling all over the country. The study found that food promotion by TV advertising affects children’s food preferences, knowledge, and behavior.

Advertising food to Australian children: has self-regulation worked?

Purpose This paper aims to outline the historic development of advertising regulation that governs food advertising to children in Australia. Through reviewing primary and secondary literature, such as government reports and research, this paper examines the influence of various regulatory policies that limit children’s exposure to food and beverage marketing on practices across television (TV), branded websites and Facebook pages. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews studies performed by the food industry and public health researchers and reviews of the evidence by government and non-government agencies from the early 19th century until the present day. Also included are several other research studies that evaluate the effects of self-regulation on Australian TV food advertising. Findings The government, public health and the food industry have attempted to respond to the rapid changes within the advertising, marketing and media industries by developing and reviewing advertising codes. However, self-regulation is failing to protect Australian children from exposure to unhealthy food advertising. Practical implications The findings could aid the food and beverage industry, and the self-regulatory system, to promote comprehensive and achievable solutions to the growing obesity rates in Australia by introducing new standards that keep pace with expanded forms of marketing communication. Originality/value This study adds to the research on the history of regulation of food advertising to children in Australia by offering insights into the government, public health and food industry’s attempts to respond to the rapid changes within the advertising, marketing and media industries by developing and reviewing advertising codes.

Children, media and food. Food advertising aimed at children audience in Spanish TV

Healthy living habits are the basis for optimal development in children and advertising can affect, positively or negatively, the maintenance of some of these habits. The analysis of food and drink advertising aimed at children during the enhanced protection zone is evidence of the growing problem of obesity in the child population generated through the food industry. The aim of this study is to assess the levels of compliance with the Code of Food and Drink Advertising to Children (Code PAOS). The methodology used was discourse and content analysis. For this purpose, a sample obtained through the recording, during 7 consecutive days, of the content of the advertising cuts in the television broadcast in Spain of three specialized and two generalist channels: Disney Channel, Neox and Boing, on the one hand, and Telecinco and Antena3, on the other. The reason for their choice is that they are the channels, within this segment, with the highest audience ratings. Specifically, the sample was obtained during week from the 12th to the 18th of December 2018.The results reveal a systematic breach of this code that persuades the vulnerable conscience of children through a business network that far from promoting healthy living habits, they cause malnutrition in society. The immediate conclusion is that 9 out of 10 parts of the Food and Beverage Advertising (FBA) did not comply with any of the PAOS Code standards and that self-regulation by advertising companies seems insignificant.