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Potvin Kent M, Bagnato M, Remedios L, Soares Guimarães J, Gillis G, Soto C, Hatoum F, Pritchard M. Child and adolescent exposure to unhealthy food marketing across digital platforms in Canada. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1740. [PMID: 38951838 PMCID: PMC11218052 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19094-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children and adolescents are exposed to a high volume of unhealthy food marketing across digital media. No previous Canadian data has estimated child exposure to food marketing across digital media platforms. This study aimed to compare the frequency, healthfulness and power of food marketing viewed by children and adolescents across all digital platforms in Canada. METHODS For this cross-sectional study, a quota sample of 100 youth aged 6-17 years old (50 children, 50 adolescents distributed equally by sex) were recruited online and in-person in Canada in 2022. Each participant completed the WHO screen capture protocol where they were recorded using their smartphone or tablet for 30-min in an online Zoom session. Research assistants identified all instances of food marketing in the captured video footage. A content analysis of each marketing instance was then completed to examine the use of marketing techniques. Nutritional data were collected on each product viewed and healthfulness was determined using Health Canada's 2018 Nutrient Profile Model. Estimated daily and yearly exposure to food marketing was calculated using self-reported device usage data. RESULTS 51% of youth were exposed to food marketing. On average, we estimated that children are exposed to 1.96 marketing instances/child/30-min (4067 marketing instances/child/year) and adolescents are exposed to 2.56 marketing instances/adolescent/30-min (8301 marketing instances/adolescent/year). Both children and adolescents were most exposed on social media platforms (83%), followed by mobile games (13%). Both age groups were most exposed to fast food (22% of marketing instances) compared to other food categories. Nearly 90% of all marketing instances were considered less healthy according to Health Canada's proposed 2018 Nutrient Profile Model, and youth-appealing marketing techniques such as graphic effects and music were used frequently. CONCLUSIONS Using the WHO screen capture protocol, we were able to determine that child and adolescent exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods across digital media platforms is likely high. Government regulation to protect these vulnerable populations from the negative effects of this marketing is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | | | - Grace Gillis
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Carolina Soto
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Farah Hatoum
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
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van der Bend DLM, Beunke TA, Shrewsbury VA, Bucher T, van Kleef E. My feed is what I eat? A qualitative study on adolescents' awareness and appreciation of food marketing on social media. J Hum Nutr Diet 2024. [PMID: 38856698 DOI: 10.1111/jhn.13336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescents spend much of their time online and hence are exposed to a lot of non-core (energy-dense, nutrient-poor) social media food marketing (SMFM). This may influence their dietary choices and health. This present study aimed to investigate adolescents' perceptions towards SMFM; that is, their recognition and appreciation of SMFM. METHODS Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with Dutch adolescents aged 13-16 years (n = 16), on Skype. Examples of food promotions on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube were discussed with adolescents. RESULTS Adolescents' reasons for recognising and appreciating or liking SMFM were often related to the level of product integration. Factors that determined participants' recognition of SMFM included product focus (e.g., brand or product prominence), sponsorship disclosure, type of content (paid, influencer and peer-generated content) and promotional strategy (e.g., discounts, promotional texts, layout). Participants' appreciation of SMFM was determined by the format of a post (image, video, text, pop-up), trustworthiness of the source (brand, celebrity, friend/peer), type of product promoted (core, non-core) and appearance or layout of a post (e.g., professionalism, appeal). CONCLUSIONS The present study contributes to the ongoing debate on how to increase adolescents' resilience to commercial messages that promote non-core foods. Adolescents mostly enjoy watching non-core video content from peers or influencers and do not perceive this as food marketing. It is recommended that future studies investigate the effects of earned social media marketing formats (i.e., unpaid peer and influencer endorsements) promoting non-core foods on adolescents' dietary intake, and how they can be made more critical towards such types of SMFM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne L M van der Bend
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Department of Social Sciences, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tjamke A Beunke
- Department of Social Sciences, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vanessa A Shrewsbury
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Tamara Bucher
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia
| | - Ellen van Kleef
- Department of Social Sciences, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Whitton C, Wong YHM, Lau J, Chua XH, Müller AM, Tan CS, van Dam RM, Müller-Riemenschneider F, Rebello SA. Ecological momentary assessment of digital food and beverage marketing exposure and impact in young adults: A feasibility study. Appetite 2024; 197:107338. [PMID: 38579981 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Unhealthy food marketing is contributing to the obesity epidemic, but real-time insights into the mechanisms of this relationship are under-studied. Digital marketing is growing and following food and beverage (F&B) brands on social media is common, but measurement of exposure and impact of such marketing presents novel challenges. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of collecting data on exposure and impact of digital F&B marketing (DFM) using a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methodology. We hypothesized that DFM-induced food cravings would vary based on whether (or not) participants engaged with F&B brands online. Participants were Singapore residents (n = 95, 21-40 years), recruited via telephone from an existing cohort. Participants were asked to upload screenshots of all sightings of online F&B marketing messages for seven days, and answer in-app contextual questions about sightings including whether any cravings were induced. Participants provided a total of 1310 uploads (median 9 per participant, Q1-Q3: 4-21) of F&B marketing messages, 27% of which were provided on Day 1, significantly more than on other days (P < 0.001). Followers of food/beverage brands on social media encountered 25.6 percentage points (95% CI 11.4, 39.7) more marketing messages that induced cravings than participants who were not followers. University education was also associated with more (18.1 percentage points; 95% CI 3.1, 33.1) encounters with marketing messages that induced cravings. It was practical and acceptable to participants to gather insights into digital F&B marketing exposure and impact using EMA in young adults, although a shorter study period is recommended in future studies. Followers of food and beverage brands on social media appear to be more prone to experience cravings after exposure to digital F&B marketing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Whitton
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Yvonne Hui Min Wong
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jerrald Lau
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xin Hui Chua
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andre Matthias Müller
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chuen Seng Tan
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rob M van Dam
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences and Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Falk Müller-Riemenschneider
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Digital Health Center, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Salome A Rebello
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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Potvin Kent M, Bagnato M, Amson A, Remedios L, Pritchard M, Sabir S, Gillis G, Pauzé E, Vanderlee L, White C, Hammond D. #junkfluenced: the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages by social media influencers popular with Canadian children on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2024; 21:37. [PMID: 38605322 PMCID: PMC11010392 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-024-01589-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Marketing of unhealthy foods to children on digital media significantly impacts their dietary preferences and contributes to diet-related noncommunicable diseases. Canadian children spend a significant amount of time on digital devices and are frequently exposed to unhealthy food marketing on social media, including by influencers with celebrity status who endorse products. This study aimed to examine the frequency, healthfulness, and power of unhealthy food marketing in posts by influencers popular with Canadian children on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. METHODS The top 9 influencers popular amongst Canadian children aged 10-12 years were identified from the 2021 International Food Policy Study Youth Survey. A total of 2,232 Instagram, YouTube and TikTok posts made by these influencers between June 1st 2021 and May 31st 2022 were examined for instances of food marketing. Food products/brands were identified and frequencies were calculated for the number of posts promoting food products/brands, posts promoting products/brands classified as less healthy according to Health Canada's Nutrient Profile Model (2018) and marketing techniques utilized. RESULTS YouTube had the highest average rate of food marketing instances per post, at a rate of 1 food marketing instance every 0.7 posts, while TikTok and Instagram had instances every 10.2 posts and 19.3 posts, respectively. Overall, fast food restaurants was the most promoted food category (21%), followed by regular soft drinks (13%), snacks (11%), candy and chocolate (11%) and water (8%). The most frequently used marketing techniques were appeals to fun/cool (37%), the use of songs or music (28%) and the product being consumed (25%). In terms of healthfulness, 83% of the products/brands (87% of brands and 82% of products) promoted were classified as less healthy. CONCLUSIONS Social media influencers play a substantial role in promoting unhealthy food products to children, primarily fast food items. Given the significant impact of such marketing on children, there is a need for ongoing government-led monitoring, and it is crucial to include social media and influencer marketing in marketing restrictions targeting children in Canada to safeguard this vulnerable demographic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ashley Amson
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Soulene Sabir
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Grace Gillis
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Elise Pauzé
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lana Vanderlee
- School of Nutrition, Centre NUTRISS (Nutrition, Santé, Société), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Christine White
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - David Hammond
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Tragantzopoulou P, Fixsen A, Ridge D, Cheshire A. 'You Are Not Alone, We've Got You': Power Plays, Devotion, and Punishment on Healthy Eating and Pro-Eating Disorder Websites. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:10497323241238628. [PMID: 38529595 DOI: 10.1177/10497323241238628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Healthy eating (HE) and pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) websites are popular sources of dietary and weight loss information, social support, and lifestyle inspiration. However, the discursive styles and language used by authors/moderators and users of these two site genres have not been widely studied or compared. Forty-three HE websites and twenty-four pro-ED websites were analysed using Fairclough's model of critical discourse analysis. Findings indicate that sites share common characteristics in terms of power relations played out by authors, 'successful' dieters, and those attending these sites. These power plays encourage moral and spiritual commitment to the care of one's body, with authoritative language used to support readers' loyalty and adherence to dietary plans. On HE sites, medicinal properties were attributed to 'clean' or 'pure' foods, whereas pro-ED sites conveyed their importance for weight reduction. Healthy eating sites were largely entrepreneurial, promoting products or themselves. Pro-eating disorder sites typically featured discussions of bodily disgust, the chastisement of others, and self-discipline in the name of 'Ana', such that dieting came to be framed as part of a devotional, often punitive, body project. On both sites, morality discourses were gendered around the thin female body and the 'ideal mother', with occasional praise for muscular male bodies. Our findings indicate how transitioning from healthy eating preoccupations to eating disorders may be facilitated by normalising discussions about restrictive dieting and the shaming of bodies, overseen by self-appointed diet 'experts' and 'buddies' online.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alison Fixsen
- School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
| | - Damien Ridge
- School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
| | - Anna Cheshire
- School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
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Pauzé E, Pinto A, Potvin Kent M. How frequently is alcohol advertised on television in Canada?: A cross-sectional study. Alcohol Alcohol 2024; 59:agae020. [PMID: 38572726 PMCID: PMC10993171 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agae020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS Alcohol marketing is a commercial driver of alcohol use, including among youth. This study sought to quantify and characterize alcohol advertising on broadcast television in Canada. METHODS Open-source television program logs for January to December 2018 submitted to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission by 147 stations with alcohol advertisements were analyzed. RESULTS Overall, 501 628 alcohol advertisements were broadcast. Four companies accounted for 83% of advertisements, namely, Anheuser-Busch in Bev (33.7%), Molson Coors (22.7%), Diageo (16.1%), and Arterra Wines Canada (10.8%). On conventional stations, advertising was highest on French-language stations [Median (Mdn) = 3224; interquartile range (IQR) = 2262] followed by those with programming in foreign/mixed languages (Mdn = 2679; IQR = 219) and English-language stations (Mdn = 1955; IQR = 1563). On speciality stations, advertising was most frequent on those primarily focused on sports programming (Mdn = 8036; IQR = 7393), movies and scripted shows (Mdn = 7463; IQR = 5937), and cooking (Mdn = 5498; IQR = 4032). On weekdays, 33% of alcohol ads aired from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 9 p.m. and on weekends, 52% aired from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. when children or adolescents are more likely to be watching television. On youth-oriented stations (n = 4), 7937 alcohol advertisements were broadcast with most airing from 9 p.m. to midnight (44-45%) or 12-6 a.m. (50%) on both weekdays and weekends. CONCLUSIONS While few alcohol advertisements were broadcast on youth-oriented stations, young people in Canada are likely exposed to such advertising on programming intended for older or general audiences (e.g. sports). More research is needed to ascertain the extent to which broadcast television constitutes a source of alcohol advertising exposure among youth and to inform policies aimed at protecting them from the influence of such exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Pauzé
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, 25 University Private, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Adena Pinto
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
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Vaillancourt C, Ahmed M, Kirk S, Labonté MÈ, Laar A, Mah CL, Minaker L, Olstad DL, Potvin Kent M, Provencher V, Prowse R, Raine KD, Schram A, Zavala-Mora D, Rancourt-Bouchard M, Vanderlee L. Food environment research in Canada: a rapid review of methodologies and measures deployed between 2010 and 2021. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2024; 21:18. [PMID: 38373957 PMCID: PMC10875887 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-024-01558-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous research methodologies have been used to examine food environments. Existing reviews synthesizing food environment measures have examined a limited number of domains or settings and none have specifically targeted Canada. This rapid review aimed to 1) map research methodologies and measures that have been used to assess food environments; 2) examine what food environment dimensions and equity related-factors have been assessed; and 3) identify research gaps and priorities to guide future research. A systematic search of primary articles evaluating the Canadian food environment in a real-world setting was conducted. Publications in English or French published in peer-reviewed journals between January 1 2010 and June 17 2021 and indexed in Web of Science, CAB Abstracts and Ovid MEDLINE were considered. The search strategy adapted an internationally-adopted food environment monitoring framework covering 7 domains (Food Marketing; Labelling; Prices; Provision; Composition; Retail; and Trade and Investment). The final sample included 220 articles. Overall, Trade and Investment (1%, n = 2), Labelling (7%, n = 15) and, to a lesser extent, Prices (14%, n = 30) were the least studied domains in Canada. Among Provision articles, healthcare (2%, n = 1) settings were underrepresented compared to school (67%, n = 28) and recreation and sport (24%, n = 10) settings, as was the food service industry (14%, n = 6) compared to grocery stores (86%, n = 36) in the Composition domain. The study identified a vast selection of measures employed in Canada overall and within single domains. Equity-related factors were only examined in half of articles (n = 108), mostly related to Retail (n = 81). A number of gaps remain that prevent a holistic and systems-level analysis of food environments in Canada. As Canada continues to implement policies to improve the quality of food environments in order to improve dietary patterns, targeted research to address identified gaps and harmonize methods across studies will help evaluate policy impact over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Vaillancourt
- École de Nutrition, Centre de Nutrition, Santé et Société (NUTRISS), Université Laval, 2425 Rue de L'Agriculture, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Mavra Ahmed
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Sara Kirk
- School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, 6230 South Street, Kjipuktuk (Halifax), NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Labonté
- École de Nutrition, Centre de Nutrition, Santé et Société (NUTRISS), Université Laval, 2425 Rue de L'Agriculture, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Amos Laar
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 13, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Catherine L Mah
- School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Leia Minaker
- School of Planning, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3T1, Canada
| | - Dana Lee Olstad
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Véronique Provencher
- École de Nutrition, Centre de Nutrition, Santé et Société (NUTRISS), Université Laval, 2425 Rue de L'Agriculture, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Rachel Prowse
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, NL, A1B 3V6, Canada
| | - Kim D Raine
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 11405 87 Ave Northwest, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Ashley Schram
- School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), ANU College of Asia & the Pacific, The Australian National University, 8 Fellows Road, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2600, Australia
| | - Daniela Zavala-Mora
- Science Library, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de La Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Maryka Rancourt-Bouchard
- École de Nutrition, Centre de Nutrition, Santé et Société (NUTRISS), Université Laval, 2425 Rue de L'Agriculture, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Lana Vanderlee
- École de Nutrition, Centre de Nutrition, Santé et Société (NUTRISS), Université Laval, 2425 Rue de L'Agriculture, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Amson A, Pauzé E, Ramsay T, Welch V, Hamid JS, Lee J, Olstad DL, Mah C, Raine K, Potvin Kent M. Examining gender differences in adolescent exposure to food and beverage marketing through go-along interviews. Appetite 2024; 193:107153. [PMID: 38072086 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/01/2024]
Abstract
This study explores how adolescents engage with unhealthy food and beverage marketing in online settings, from a gender perspective. Employing an online ethnography approach and using go-along interviews, we explored the experiences of adolescent boys and girls aged 13-17 as they navigated their online experiences with digital food and beverage marketing. Notable themes emerged, including the identification of predatory actions by food companies, the role of protective factors such as family, and the influence of social media influencers in shaping adolescent dietary preferences. Importantly, this research unearthed gender disparities in the participants' responses. Girls, in particular, exhibited a heightened awareness of the protective role played by their families, emphasized the influence of color in marketing strategies, recognized the significance of gender in marketing, and reported exposure to alcohol advertisements-findings that boys less frequently echoed. The study underscores the importance of adolescence as a critical phase in development, during which food companies target these impressionable individuals, driven by their independence and potential for brand loyalty. Moreover, it highlights the potential avenue of gender-specific marketing, offering valuable insights into the gendered dimensions of adolescents' food marketing experiences. By examining the interplay between digital food marketing and gender, this research addresses a critical gap in the literature, shedding light on how gender influences adolescents' perceptions, responses, and behaviors in the context of food marketing strategies. These findings have the potential to inform adolescents of the marketing techniques that target them and guide policymakers in developing and implementing evidence-based regulations aimed at safeguarding adolescents from exposure to unhealthy food marketing.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Amson
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - E Pauzé
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - T Ramsay
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - V Welch
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - J S Hamid
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - J Lee
- Cumming School of Medicine - Department of Community Health Sciences & Cardiac Sciences, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - D L Olstad
- Cumming School of Medicine - Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - C Mah
- School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building 2nd Floor 2A01, Office 2A03, 5850 College Street, PO Box 15000, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - K Raine
- Center for Health Promotion Studies, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-300 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405 - 87 Ave, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - M Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
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9
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Elliott CD, Truman E. Food marketing on digital platforms: what do teens see? Public Health Nutr 2024; 27:e48. [PMID: 38269541 PMCID: PMC10882529 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980024000235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Given the aggressive marketing of foods and beverages to teenagers on digital platforms, and the paucity of research documenting teen engagement with food marketing and its persuasive content, the objective of this study is to examine what teenagers see as teen-targeted food marketing on four popular digital platforms and to provide insight into the persuasive power of that marketing. DESIGN This is an exploratory, participatory research study, in which teenagers used a special mobile app to capture all teen-targeted food and beverage marketing they saw on digital media for 7 d. For each ad, participants identified the brand, product and specific appeals that made it teen-targeted, as well as the platform on which it was found. SETTING Online (digital media) with teenagers in Canada. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred and seventy-eight teenagers, aged 13-17 years, were participated. Most participants were girls (63 %) and older teenagers (58 % aged 16-17 years). RESULTS Participants captured 1392 teen-targeted food advertisements from Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. The greatest number of food marketing examples came from Instagram (46 %) (with no difference across genders or age), while beverages (28·7 %), fast food (25·1 %) and candy/chocolate were the top categories advertised. When it comes to persuasive power, visual style was the top choice across all platforms and participants, with other top techniques (special offer, theme and humour), ranking differently, depending on age, gender and platform. CONCLUSIONS This study provides insight into the nature of digital food marketing and its persuasive power for teenagers, highlighting considerations of selection and salience when it comes to examining food marketing and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene D Elliott
- University of Calgary, Communication, Media and Film, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Emily Truman
- University of Calgary, Communication, Media and Film, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
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10
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Sawant NS, More SR, Singh SD, Agrawal AS, Chauhan A. Eating behaviours, social media usage, and its association: A cross-sectional study in Indian medical undergraduates. Ind Psychiatry J 2024; 33:127-132. [PMID: 38853814 PMCID: PMC11155659 DOI: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_298_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Despite increasing incidence, there is little data on abnormal eating behaviours or disorders in Indian youth, especially medical students. Additionally, little literature exists measuring the association of social media use with abnormal eating behaviours. Aim To assess the prevalence of abnormal eating behaviours amongst medical students, social media usage, and any association of social media usage with eating behaviours. Materials and Methods An online cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted with 272 participants at a medical college, and two scales: the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-Revised 21items (TFEQ-R21) and the Scale of Effects of social media on Eating Behaviour (SESMEB) were used. Results 22% of the participants reported abnormal eating behaviours. A significant difference in the effect of social media on eating behaviour according to the year of study [f = 3.08, P = 0.02] was seen with the final years having the lowest and the first years having the highest SESMEB scores. Students using more than 4 social media platforms had a higher SESMEB score [t = -2.02, P < 0.04]. A positive correlation was seen between TFEQ domains such as uncontrolled eating [r = 0.38, P = 0.01], emotional eating [r = 0.30, P = 0.01], and TFEQ total score [r = 0.40, P = 0.01] with SESMEB scores. Conclusion This study finds a significant correlation between increased social media usage and developing abnormal eating behaviours in medical students. It highlights the need for the creation of policies regulating social media use with eating behaviours in mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neena Sanjiv Sawant
- Departments of Psychiatry, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shermeen Rajesh More
- Medical Undergraduates, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | | | - Ansh Sanjay Agrawal
- Medical Undergraduates, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Ananya Chauhan
- Medical Undergraduates, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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11
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Boyland E, Maden M, Coates AE, Masterson TD, Alblas MC, Bruce AS, Roberts CA. Food and non-alcoholic beverage marketing in children and adults: A systematic review and activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Obes Rev 2024; 25:e13643. [PMID: 37766661 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Food marketing impacts the food behaviors of children and adults, but the underpinning neural mechanisms are poorly understood. This systematic review and meta-analysis pooled evidence from neuroimaging studies of exposure to food marketing stimuli (vs. control) on brain activations in children and adults to clarify regions associated with responding. Databases were searched for articles published to March 2022. Inclusion criteria included human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies employing a contrast between a food marketing stimulus and a non-food/non-exposure control, published in English in a peer-reviewed journal, reporting whole brain (not Region of Interest [ROI] only) co-ordinates. Eleven studies met inclusion criteria, of which eight were included in the quantitative synthesis (Activation Likelihood Estimation [ALE] meta-analysis). Food marketing exposures (vs. controls) produced greater activation in two clusters lying across the middle occipital gyrus, lingual gyrus, and cuneus (cluster 1), and the postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, and the inferior parietal lobule/supramarginal gyrus (cluster 2). Brain responses to food marketing are most consistently observed in areas relating to visual processing, attention, sensorimotor activity, and emotional processing. Subgroup analyses (e.g., adults vs. children) were not possible because of the paucity of data, and sensitivity analyses highlighted some instability in the clusters; therefore, conclusions remain tentative pending further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Boyland
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michelle Maden
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Anna E Coates
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Travis D Masterson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Monique C Alblas
- Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Amanda S Bruce
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas, USA
| | - Carl A Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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12
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Engel E, Gell S, Heiss R, Karsay K. Social media influencers and adolescents' health: A scoping review of the research field. Soc Sci Med 2024; 340:116387. [PMID: 38039770 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Social media influencers (SMIs) have become an important source of health information for adolescents. However, the lack of expertise and commercial interests of SMIs pose challenges for adolescent health. To gain a better understanding of these challenges, this scoping review aimed to synthesize existing research on the role of SMIs in adolescent health. Using the PRISMA-ScR approach, we conducted a comprehensive search of eight databases and screened articles based on predefined criteria. The final sample included 51 articles published between 2012 and 2022. Results revealed inconsistent definitions and classifications of SMIs. The most common topics included appearance, nutrition, and substance use, while mental and sexual health topics were underrepresented. The ability of SMIs to establish trustworthy relationships with their followers was highlighted in the reviewed studies, shedding light on potential benefits and challenges for adolescent health. However, most studies focused on the negative roles of SMIs, such as the promotion of unrealistic body images, unhealthy diets, substance use, and inaccurate diagnosis and treatment advice. In addition, inappropriate advertising of unhealthy products (e.g., junk food, tobacco products and alcohol) was identified as a major challenge. The reviewed studies identified stricter regulation and improved social media and health literacy as important avenues for policy action. Less attention was given to the potential positive impact of SMIs and how to effectively include them in health promotion campaigns. In addition, the majority of studies were conducted in the Global North and relied on quantitative approaches, resulting in a lack of representation of minority populations and male adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Engel
- University of Vienna, Department of Communication, Kolingasse 14-16, 1070 Vienna, Austria; MCI | The Entrepreneurial School©, Center for Social & Health Innovation, Universitätsstraße 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Sascha Gell
- University of Vienna, Department of Communication, Kolingasse 14-16, 1070 Vienna, Austria; MCI | The Entrepreneurial School©, Center for Social & Health Innovation, Universitätsstraße 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Raffael Heiss
- MCI | The Entrepreneurial School©, Center for Social & Health Innovation, Universitätsstraße 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Kathrin Karsay
- University of Vienna, Department of Communication, Kolingasse 14-16, 1070 Vienna, Austria.
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13
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Mulligan C, Remedios L, Ramsay T, Pauzé E, Bagnato M, Potvin Kent M. The impact of characters like Tony the Tiger and other child-targeted techniques used in food and beverage marketing. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1287473. [PMID: 38115882 PMCID: PMC10728630 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1287473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Food marketing's impact is a function of exposure and power, both of which contribute to children's poor diet quality and obesity risk. Children's exposure to food marketing is well documented, however, few studies have assessed the impact of specific persuasive marketing techniques or aspects of 'power' on children. Methods This study administered an online survey to 1,341 Canadian children (9-12 years) aiming to determine the impact of: (1) child-targeted vs. adult-targeted marketing, and (2) licensed characters vs. spokes characters on children's food preferences and behavioral intentions. Participants were randomized to a single condition in each survey part and viewed 3 static food advertisements displaying the features of that condition (e.g., child-targeted advertising or licensed characters), and answered 3 Likert-scale (5-point) questions after each exposure. For each condition within each research question, there were four outcome variables related to the impact of marketing on children: food preference, purchase intent, pester power, and total impact. ANOVA tested the difference in impact (Likert scores) between conditions overall and for each outcome, with Bonferroni post-hoc tests where necessary. Results A greater average total impact was observed among children exposed to child-targeted ads (mean Likert score 3.36) vs. adult-targeted ads (mean score 2.75; p < 0.001) or no marketing (mean score 2.81; p < 0.001). Children exposed to ads featuring spokes characters had a higher average total impact (mean score 3.98) vs. licensed characters (mean score 3.80; p < 0.001) and the control (i.e., no characters) (mean score 3.19; p < 0.001), and the total impact of licensed characters was greater than that of no characters. Similar trends were observed for all other outcomes. Discussion Overall, this study showed that child-targeted ads and those using characters - especially spokes characters - have a strong overall impact on children's food preferences, purchase intents, and pester power, and support the implementation of comprehensive marketing restrictions to protect children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Mulligan
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tim Ramsay
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Elise Pauzé
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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14
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Bankole E, Harris N, Rutherford S, Wiseman N. A systematic review of the adolescent-directed marketing strategies of transnational fast food companies in low- and middle-income countries. Obes Sci Pract 2023; 9:670-680. [PMID: 38090687 PMCID: PMC10712404 DOI: 10.1002/osp4.676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fast food consumption is associated with excessive intake of energy-dense foods; a major determinant of childhood obesity. The lack of data on the marketing strategies used to promote fast food to adolescents in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) acts as a barrier to global efforts to reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods to young people around the world. OBJECTIVES This systematic review aimed to identify the adolescent-directed marketing strategies of transnational fast food corporations in LMICs. METHODS A systematic search of eight scientific databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, Embase, ProQuest, PsycInfo, Scopus and Google Scholar) was conducted. Following PRISMA guidelines, primary research articles written in English were included if they were published between 1 January 2010 and 30 December 2022, and reported any adolescent-directed marketing activity undertaken by a transnational fast food company operating in a LMIC. Articles were excluded if they were not peer reviewed. The quality of the included articles was assessed using a condensed version of the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research tool. RESULTS Twelve articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. A narrative synthesis of these articles revealed that the most documented strategies used to promote fast food to adolescents in LMICs were the use of incentives or premium offers, product appeals, promotional characters and brand familiarity. These strategies were mostly observed on social media, suggesting that there are serious concerns about adolescent exposure to fast food via social media in developing settings, especially as contextual differences in the nature of such marketing were identified. DISCUSSION The promotion of fast food to adolescents in LMICs is contextual in nature, with the nature of marketing strategies employed by transnational fast food corporations varying greatly across cultural and socio-economic contexts. These findings are crucial for the development of guidelines and regulations restricting the marketing of fast food to adolescents in lower income settings, contributing to global efforts to reduce adolescent exposure to unhealthy food promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elijah Bankole
- Public HealthSchool of Medicine and DentistryGriffith UniversityGold CoastQueenslandAustralia
| | - Neil Harris
- Public HealthSchool of Medicine and DentistryGriffith UniversityGold CoastQueenslandAustralia
| | - Shannon Rutherford
- Public HealthSchool of Medicine and DentistryGriffith UniversityGold CoastQueenslandAustralia
| | - Nicola Wiseman
- Public HealthSchool of Medicine and DentistryGriffith UniversityGold CoastQueenslandAustralia
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15
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Ellithorpe ME, Bleakley A, Hennessy M, Jordan A, Stevens R, Maloney E. Athletes Drink Gatorade: DMA Advertising Expenditures, Ad Recall, and Athletic Identity Influence Energy and Sports Drink Consumption. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023; 38:3031-3039. [PMID: 36214773 PMCID: PMC10083192 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2131971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding why sports and energy drinks remain increasingly popular among adolescents despite declines in other sugar sweetened beverages is critical. This study points to memory for advertising exposure and adolescent athletic identity as two aspects that together help to explain consumption. An online survey of U.S. adolescents aged 14-18 (n = 503) was combined with Nielsen data for television and social media advertising expenditures by sports and energy drink brands in participants' designated market areas (DMAs). Advertisement recall mediates the relationship between social media DMA expenditures and sports and energy drink consumption. Recall for television advertisements is related to consumption but is unrelated to television DMA expenditures. Athletic identity moderated the relationship between recall and consumption such that consumption increased as both recall and athletic identity increased, suggesting a role for motivated memory and motivated processing of ad messages based on athletic identity consistent with the limited capacity model of motivated media message processing. Based on these results, we conclude that effectiveness of expenditures in influencing behavior is dependent upon both ad recall and ad relevance, and that athletic identity is an important factor in ad effectiveness in the context of sports and energy drinks advertising.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Bleakley
- Department of Communication, University of Delaware
| | | | - Amy Jordan
- Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
| | - Robin Stevens
- USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California
| | - Erin Maloney
- Department of Communication, University of Delaware
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16
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Gheonea TC, Oancea CN, Mititelu M, Lupu EC, Ioniță-Mîndrican CB, Rogoveanu I. Nutrition and Mental Well-Being: Exploring Connections and Holistic Approaches. J Clin Med 2023; 12:7180. [PMID: 38002792 PMCID: PMC10672474 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12227180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Quality of life, well-being, and psycho-emotional balance are closely related to the quality of the diet, the level of physical activity, the quality of rest, but also the absence of the consumption of narcotic substances and tobacco, or alcohol abuse. Based on the distribution of a questionnaire that included 30 questions, we aimed to statistically evaluate several factors that influence mental health and vices. It recorded a total of 1719 valid responses, which came from 78.3% female respondents and 21.7% male respondents. After processing the anthropometric data, it was observed that the majority of respondents are of normal weight (63.87%) and come from women in particular (36.13%). Based on the answers recorded, although over 60% of the respondents participating in the study are up to 40 years old, there is an increased tendency towards sedentarism (over 58% of the respondents declaring that they do sports very rarely or not at all), a low tendency regarding optimal consumption of vegetables and fruits, many respondents do not hydrate properly, which is why approximately 60% of respondents feel frequently tired, and over 32% are frequently nervous. The increased level of stress among the respondents and emotional eating are also generated by inadequate rest, reduced physical activity, and a diet that does not help the efficient detoxification of the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodora Claudia Gheonea
- Center for IBD Patients, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Craiova, 200345 Craiova, Romania; (T.C.G.); (I.R.)
| | - Carmen-Nicoleta Oancea
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Craiova, 200345 Craiova, Romania;
| | - Magdalena Mititelu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Food Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020956 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Elena Carmen Lupu
- Department of Mathematics and Informatics, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Ovidius” University of Constanta, 900001 Constanta, Romania
| | - Corina-Bianca Ioniță-Mîndrican
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020945 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Ion Rogoveanu
- Center for IBD Patients, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Craiova, 200345 Craiova, Romania; (T.C.G.); (I.R.)
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17
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Reppas K, Papamichael MM, Moschonis G, Cardon G, Iotova V, Bazdarska Y, Chakarova N, Rurik I, Antal E, Valve P, Liatis S, Makrilakis K, Moreno L, Manios Y. Role of parenting practices and digital media on beverage intake in European schoolchildren of different weight status. Feel4Diabetes-study. Nutrition 2023; 115:112142. [PMID: 37541142 DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2023.112142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Halting the rise in childhood obesity is an ongoing challenge in Europe. Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and artificially sweetened beverage (ASB) consumption has become common practice at home and during family meals. The objective of this study was to investigate associations of parenting practices and home digital media availability with beverage intake in European schoolchildren of different weight groups. METHODS Cross-sectional data were derived from six countries taking part in the multicentered Feel4Diabetes-study. Anthropometric data were measured for 12 030 schoolchildren (n = 6097 girls; median age = 8.1 y). Details on sociodemographic characteristics, beverage intake, food parenting practices, and home availability of digital media were collated from questionnaires. The outcomes, daily SSB and ASB intakes, were included as dependent variables in multivariable regression models that provided odds ratios reflecting their association with parenting practices and digital media (exposures), after stratifying for children's weight status (underweight or normal versus overweight or obese). RESULTS After controlling for children's sex, region, maternal body mass index, and education, the multivariate model found that in both body mass index groups, permissive parenting practices, such as rewarding and allowing consumption of unhealthy foods "very often or often," as compared with "rarely or never," were associated with a high daily intake of SSBs and ASBs in children, while parents "watching television together with their child," rewarding with screen time, and availability of television in children's rooms increased the likelihood of both beverages in the underweight or normal-weight group. CONCLUSIONS Modification of permissive parenting practices and removal of television from children's rooms could effectively reduce SSB intake and curb the ongoing threat of child obesity in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriakos Reppas
- Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health Science & Education, Harokopio University of Athens, Kallithea, Greece
| | - Maria Michelle Papamichael
- Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health Science & Education, Harokopio University of Athens, Kallithea, Greece; Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Sport, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - George Moschonis
- Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Sport, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Greet Cardon
- Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Violeta Iotova
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Yuliya Bazdarska
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Nevena Chakarova
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Imre Rurik
- Department of Family and Occupational Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary; Department of Family Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Emese Antal
- Hungarian Society of Nutrition, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Päivi Valve
- Public Health and Welfare Department, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stavros Liatis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Makrilakis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Luis Moreno
- Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development (GENUD) Research Group, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Yannis Manios
- Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, School of Health Science & Education, Harokopio University of Athens, Kallithea, Greece; Agri-Food and Life Sciences Institute, Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Center, Heraklion, Greece.
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18
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Abbasifard M, Bazmandegan G, Ostadebrahimi H, Amiri M, Kamiab Z. General and central obesity prevalence in young adult: a study based on the Rafsanjan youth cohort study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17259. [PMID: 37828357 PMCID: PMC10570321 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44579-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing prevalence of obesity among youth would have adverse consequences and increased risk of developing chronic diseases at older ages. This study explored the prevalence of obesity and its association with relevant risk factors in the Rafsanjan youth cohort population. This cross-sectional study was done on 3006 individuals from the 15-35-year-old population included in the Rafsanjan youth cohort study. The data were extracted from the youth cohort databases, which had been collected through in-person interview and standard questionnaires. Definition of general obesity was considered as body mass index ≤ 30 and that of central obesity as waist to hip ratio (WHR) ≥ 0.9 for men and ≥ 0.85 for women. Multivariate stepwise proportional odds model and multivariable stepwise logistic regression models were done to explore the factors associated with general obesity and central obesity. The mean age was 25.78 ± 6.06 years with 56% (n = 1683) female. The prevalence of general obesity was 15.80% (95% CI 14.50-17.11) and central obesity was 28.41% (95% CI 26.80-30.02). The risk of general obesity increased with increasing age (OR = 1.053, P < 0.0001), being married (OR = 1.658, P < 0.0001), history of diabetes (OR = 1.609, P = 0.0185), history of hypertension (OR = 1.609, P < 0.0001), elevated triglyceride (OR = 1.007, P < 0.0001) and LDL (OR = 1.015, P < 0.0001), while decreasing with being employed (OR = 0.748, P = 0.0002) and elevated HDL (OR = 0.975, P < 0.0001). Prevalence of obesity was high in study population. Marital status, increasing age, and history of chronic diseases were associated with obesity. Preventing programs should be developed against obesity and for promoting healthy habits in young adult especially during education at schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitra Abbasifard
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Bazmandegan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology Medicine, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Hamid Ostadebrahimi
- Department of Pediatrics, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Mahsa Amiri
- General Physician, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Zahra Kamiab
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
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Hanssen H, Moholdt T, Bahls M, Biffi A, Siegrist M, Lewandowski AJ, Biondi-Zoccai G, Cavarretta E, Kokkvoll A, Løchen ML, Maestrini V, Pinto RS, Palermi S, Thivel D, Wojcik M, Hansen D, Van Craenenbroeck EM, Weghuber D, Kraenkel N, Tiberi M. Lifestyle interventions to change trajectories of obesity-related cardiovascular risk from childhood onset to manifestation in adulthood: a joint scientific statement of the task force for childhood health of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology and the European Childhood Obesity Group. Eur J Prev Cardiol 2023; 30:1462-1472. [PMID: 37491406 DOI: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwad152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
There is an immediate need to optimize cardiovascular (CV) risk management and primary prevention of childhood obesity to timely and more effectively combat the health hazard and socioeconomic burden of CV disease from childhood development to adulthood manifestation. Optimizing screening programs and risk management strategies for obesity-related CV risk in childhood has high potential to change disease trajectories into adulthood. Building on a holistic view on the aetiology of childhood obesity, this document reviews current concepts in primary prevention and risk management strategies by lifestyle interventions. As an additional objective, this scientific statement addresses the high potential for reversibility of CV risk in childhood and comments on the use of modern surrogate markers beyond monitoring weight and body composition. This scientific statement also highlights the clinical importance of quantifying CV risk trajectories and discusses the remaining research gaps and challenges to better promote childhood health in a population-based approach. Finally, this document provides an overview on the lessons to be learned from the presented evidence and identifies key barriers to be targeted by researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to put into practice more effective primary prevention strategies for childhood obesity early in life to combat the burden of CV disease later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henner Hanssen
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Grosse Allee 6, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Trine Moholdt
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Women's Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Martin Bahls
- Department of Internal Medicine B University Medicine Greifswald, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alessandro Biffi
- Med-Ex Medicine & Exercise, Medical Partner Scuderia Ferrari, Rome, Italy
| | - Monika Siegrist
- Department of Prevention and Sports Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital 'rechts der Isar', Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Adam J Lewandowski
- Oxford Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Napoli, Italy
| | - Elena Cavarretta
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Napoli, Italy
| | - Ane Kokkvoll
- Department of Paediatrics, Finnmark Hospital Trust, Hammerfest, Norway
| | - Maja-Lisa Løchen
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Viviana Maestrini
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Palermi
- Med-Ex Medicine & Exercise, Medical Partner Scuderia Ferrari, Rome, Italy
| | - David Thivel
- Laboratory of the Metabolic Adaptations to Exercise under Physiological and Pathological Conditions, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Malgorzata Wojcik
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Dominique Hansen
- Department of Cardiology, Heart Centre Hasselt, Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium
- UHasselt, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, BIOMED-REVAL-Rehabilitation Research Centre, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Emeline M Van Craenenbroeck
- Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, GENCOR Department, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Edegem, Belgium
| | - Daniel Weghuber
- Obesity Research Unit, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Department of Pediatrics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Nicolle Kraenkel
- Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC), Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care, Campus Benjamin-Franklin (CBF), Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site Berlin, Germany
- Friede Springer- Cardiovascular Prevention Center @ Charité, Charite- Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Monica Tiberi
- Department of Public Health, Azienda Sanitaria Unica Regionale Marche AV 1, Pesaro, Italy
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20
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Boyland E. Is it ethical to advertise unhealthy foods to children? Proc Nutr Soc 2023; 82:234-240. [PMID: 36606537 DOI: 10.1017/s0029665123000010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages (hereafter: food) high in fats, salt and/or sugar (HFSS) has been strongly implicated in the rising levels of childhood obesity worldwide. Multiple ethical concerns arise from the practice of exposing children to such marketing and efforts to monitor and restrict it through regulatory policies. There is considerable evidence that exposure to powerful food marketing messages affects children's food behaviours in ways that are detrimental to good dietary health. Children are particularly vulnerable to being exploited and deceived by food marketing messages based on their cognitive and developmental immaturity. HFSS food marketing also affects numerous child rights enshrined within the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (of which the UK is a signatory) including the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health. The debate has become somewhat polarised between the public health community's evidence-based assertion that all marketing is inherently exploitative and the rebuttal from food and marketing industry stakeholders that provided the marketing is 'accurate and truthful' and there is no ethical need to regulate. This polarisation is reflected in the complexity of policymaking decisions regarding the rationale for mandatory government-led policies or industry self-regulation. There are also ethical considerations inherent in the monitoring of children's food marketing exposure, particularly in the digital sphere, by researchers for the purposes of informing policy design, scope and implementation. This review paper will explore the latest evidence on these issues and consider the implications for public health research, policy, and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Boyland
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Eleanor Rathbone Building, Bedford Street South, Liverpool, L69 7ZA, UK
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21
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Fitzpatrick C, Binet MA, Cristini E, Almeida ML, Bégin M, Frizzo GB. Reducing harm and promoting positive media use strategies: new perspectives in understanding the impact of preschooler media use on health and development. PSICOLOGIA-REFLEXAO E CRITICA 2023; 36:19. [PMID: 37553485 PMCID: PMC10409691 DOI: 10.1186/s41155-023-00262-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Most children grow up in homes with easy access to multiple screens. Screen use by children between the ages of 0 to 5 has become a worldwide preoccupation. In the present narrative review, we examine child and parent screen use and its contribution to physical, cognitive, and social developmental outcomes. As research has mostly focused on the adverse consequences of screen media, we aim to depict both the negative and the positive influences of screen usage. To provide a more nuanced portrait of the potential benefits and harms of screen use, we examine how consequences of media use vary according to the content of media (ex., educational, violent), context (ex., using screens during mealtimes), and the nature (ex., passive vs active use) of child screen use. Our review supports existing screen time guidelines and recommendations and suggests that media content, the context of use, and the nature of child use, as well as the parent's own screen use, be considered clinically. Future research should seek to clarify how these dimensions jointly contribute to child screen use profiles and associated consequences. Finally, child sex, behavioral/temperamental difficulties, and family adversity appear to contribute to child screen use and its consequences and should be considered in future research. Suggestions for harm-reduction approaches are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Fitzpatrick
- Département de l'enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
- Department of Childhood Education, University Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Marie-Andrée Binet
- Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Emma Cristini
- Département de l'enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Maíra Lopes Almeida
- Département de l'enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Mathieu Bégin
- Département de l'enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
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22
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Al-Haifi AR, Bumaryoum NY, Al-Awadhi BA, Alammar FA, Ashkanani RH, Al-Hazzaa HM. The influence of gender, media, and internet usage on adolescents' fast food perception and fluid intake. JOURNAL OF HEALTH, POPULATION, AND NUTRITION 2023; 42:77. [PMID: 37533123 PMCID: PMC10398999 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-023-00426-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the factors that influence adolescent's perception of fast food and their fluid consumption is crucial for designing effective nutrition education programs tailored to this population. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of sex and the use of media and the internet with adolescents' perception of fast foods and the amount of fluid consumption. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted on school adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years in Kuwait, using a multistage stratified random sampling method (N = 706 adolescents; 343 boys and 363 girls). A pre-tested and specifically designed self-report questionnaire covering several measures such as: (a) types of foods that are considered fast foods; and (b) participant's fluid consumption. Body weight and height were measured using calibrated medical scales. Body mass index (BMI) was computed. The adolescents were stratified by sex into two groups: boys and girls, for the purpose of analysis. RESULTS Seven out of 14 food choices showed significant sex differences (p values ranged from 0.016 to < 0.001) in the adolescents' responses to whether they perceived such food choice as fast food or not. Although differences were found between sexes, the majority of the listed fast foods were correctly recognized as fast foods by the adolescents. In addition, there were significant differences between males and females in the amount of daily drinks (ml/week) consumed from full fat milk (males = l197.1 ± 27,652.1 and females = 1662.8 ± 2221, p = 0.013), sugar-sweetened beverage (males = 2350.8 ± 3324.3 and females = 3088.9 ± 3701.1, p = 0.004), and energy drinks (males = 429.5 ± 1117.2 and females = 267.6 ± 733.8, p = 0.037). Compared to adolescents who seldom or do not watch TV or use the internet, those who engage in these sedentary activities are less likely to classify pizza (aOR (95% CI) = 0.660 (0.440-0.990), p = 0.045), grilled meat (aOR (95% CI) = 0.674 (0.477-0.954), p = 0.026), fried egg sandwiches (aOR (95% CI) = 0.617 (0.425-0.894-0.189), p = 0.011), and rice (aOR (95% CI) = 0.598(0.409-0.875), p = 0.008) as fast foods. CONCLUSION The influence of TV and internet use on adolescent's ability to accurately identify fast foods has been observed. Findings indicate the need for increased fast food nutrition education programs that are tailored towards adolescents. The study recommends further research to enhance consumer awareness of foods and drinks among adolescents in the State of Kuwait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad R Al-Haifi
- Department of Food and Nutrition Science, College of Health Sciences, PAAET, Showaikh, Kuwait
| | - Nayef Y Bumaryoum
- Department of Food and Nutrition Science, College of Health Sciences, PAAET, Showaikh, Kuwait
| | - Balqees A Al-Awadhi
- Department of Food and Nutrition Science, College of Health Sciences, PAAET, Showaikh, Kuwait
| | - Fahad A Alammar
- Department of Food and Nutrition Science, College of Health Sciences, PAAET, Showaikh, Kuwait.
| | - Rasha H Ashkanani
- Department of Home Economics, Basic Education College, PAAET, Showaikh, Kuwait
| | - Hazzaa M Al-Hazzaa
- Lifestyle and Health Research Center, Health Sciences Research Center, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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23
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Bagnato M, Roy-Gagnon MH, Vanderlee L, White C, Hammond D, Potvin Kent M. The impact of fast food marketing on brand preferences and fast food intake of youth aged 10-17 across six countries. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1436. [PMID: 37501119 PMCID: PMC10373354 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16158-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Consumption of fast food, which is associated with poor diet, weight gain and the development of noncommunicable diseases, is high amongst youth. Fast food marketing, a modifiable determinant of excess weight and obesity, affects youth's food-related behaviours. This study aimed to examine the relationship between exposure to fast food marketing and the fast food brand preferences and intake amongst youth aged 10-17 across six countries. METHODS Data from 9,695 youth respondents living in Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) were analyzed from the 2019 International Food Policy Study (IFPS) Youth Survey. Survey measures assessed exposure to fast food marketing and brand-specific marketing, and preference for these brands and fast food intake. Regression models adjusted for age, sex, income adequacy and ethnicity were used to examine the associations. RESULTS Exposure to fast food marketing was positively associated with brand preferences and intake consistently across most countries. Overall, preference for McDonald's (OR:1.97; 95% CI:1.52, 2.56), KFC (OR:1.61; 95% CI:1.24, 2.09) and Subway (OR:1.73; 95% CI:1.34, 2.24) were highest when exposed to general fast food marketing ≥ 2x/week compared to never. Preference for McDonald's (OR:2.32; 95% CI:1.92, 2.79), KFC (OR:2.28; 95% CI:1.95, 2.68) and Subway (OR:2.75; 95% CI:2.32, 3.27) were also higher when exposed to marketing for each brand compared to not. Fast food intake was highest in Chile (IRR:1.90; 95% CI:1.45, 2.48), the UK (IRR:1.40; 95% CI:1.20, 1.63), Canada (IRR:1.32; 95% CI:1.19, 1.48), Mexico (IRR:1.26; 95% CI:1.05, 1.53) and the US (IRR:1.21; 95% CI:1.05, 1.41) when exposed to general fast food marketing ≥ 2x/week compared to never and was higher across most countries when exposed to brand-specific marketing compared to not. Respondents classified as ethnic minorities were more likely to report consuming fast food than ethnic majorities, and females were less likely to report consuming fast food than males. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to fast food marketing is consistently and positively associated with brand preferences and fast food intake in all six countries. Our results highlight the need for strict government regulation to reduce exposure of unhealthy food marketing to youth in all six countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Lana Vanderlee
- École de Nutrition, Centre Nutrition, Santé Et Société (Centre NUTRISS), and Institut Sur La Nutrition Et Les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Christine White
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - David Hammond
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
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24
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Alfraidi A, Alafif N, Alsukait R. The Impact of Mandatory Food-Marketing Regulations on Purchase and Exposure: A Narrative Review. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1277. [PMID: 37628276 PMCID: PMC10453145 DOI: 10.3390/children10081277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Several governments have enforced a series of actions to improve the local food environment and reduce obesity-related diseases in the population by implementing statutory regulations to reduce or ban the marketing of products that are considered unhealthy based on nutrient profile systems or them being high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS); (2) Objective: This narrative review is aiming to provide a comprehensive exploration of the available evidence on the impact of identified mandatory regulations restricting food marketing, including advertisements and packages on the exposure and purchase of HFSS food products, to help justify the need for these regulations; (3) Methods: Articles were retrieved by searching electronic databases, including EBSCO Education, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 2012 up to December 2022; (4) Results: A total of 12 articles were included in this review. Almost all mandatory food-marketing regulations have evidence in favor of reducing HFSS food purchases and exposure; (5) Conclusions: Protecting children and adolescents from food and beverage marketing through mandatory regulations is a crucial step toward tackling global childhood and adolescent obesity and securing a healthier environment for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alanoud Alfraidi
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia; (N.A.); (R.A.)
- Department of Clinical Dietitian, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh 12233, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nora Alafif
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia; (N.A.); (R.A.)
| | - Reem Alsukait
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia; (N.A.); (R.A.)
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25
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Nicholson E, Kelly B. Establishing the Minimum Media Time Sample Required to Obtain Reliable Estimates of Children's Digital Media Food Marketing Exposures. Curr Dev Nutr 2023; 7:100092. [PMID: 37213717 PMCID: PMC10196768 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.100092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The ubiquitous nature of food marketing on digital media likely has a profound effect on children's food preferences and intake. Monitoring children's exposure to digital marketing is necessary to raise awareness of the issue, inform policy development, and evaluate policy implementation and effect. Objectives This study aimed to establish whether smaller time samples (less time and/or fewer days captured) would provide robust estimates of children's usual exposures to food marketing. Methods Using an existing data set of children's digital marketing exposures, which captured children's total screen use over 3 d, a reliability assessment was performed. Results A subsample of 30% of children's usual screen time was found to provide reliable estimates of digital food marketing exposure compared with the full sample (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.885; Cronbach α: 0.884). There was no difference in the rates of marketing (exposures/h) between weekdays and weekend days. Conclusions These findings enable researchers to reduce the time and resource constraints that have previously restricted this type of monitoring research. The reduced media time sample will further lessen participant burden.
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26
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Md Jamri H, Setiyaningrum Z, Abd Talib R, Buhari SS. Factors Influencing Adolescents’ Use of Social Media for Nutrition Intervention. ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOUR PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 2023; 8:51-58. [DOI: 10.21834/ebpj.v8i24.4686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents are the largest population using social media in daily life, and their use is influenced by a wide range of factors. Hence, it is applied in nutrition intervention, which improved their health. However, some intervention lacks participation and engagement. This study identifies factors influencing adolescents’ social media use for nutrition interventions. An in-depth interview was conducted virtually for 30 to 60 minutes focusing on nutrition-related matters with 15 adolescents. Almost all of them were interested to participate in nutrition interventions on social media. User characteristics, environmental factors, and social media features were identified as the factors impacting them.
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27
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Foubister C, Jago R, Sharp SJ, van Sluijs EMF. Time spent on social media use and BMI z-score: A cross-sectional explanatory pathway analysis of 10798 14-year-old boys and girls. Pediatr Obes 2023; 18:e13017. [PMID: 36890676 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between adolescent time spent on social media use and body mass index z-score (BMI z-score) is unclear. Pathways of association and sex differences are also unclear. This study examined the association between time spent on social media use and BMI z-score (primary objective) and potential explanatory pathways (secondary objective) for boys and girls. METHODS Data are from 5332 girls and 5466 boys aged 14 years in the UK Millennium Cohort Study. BMI z-score was regressed on self-reported time spent on social media use (h/day). Potential explanatory pathways explored included dietary intake, sleep duration, depressive symptoms, cyberbullying, body-weight satisfaction, self-esteem, and well-being. Sex-stratified multivariable linear regression and structural equation modelling were used to examine potential associations and explanatory pathways. RESULTS Using social media for ≥5 h/day (vs. <1 h/day) was positively associated with BMI z-score for girls (β [95% CI]) (0.15 [0.06, 0.25]) (primary objective, multivariable linear regression). For girls, the direct association was attenuated when sleep duration (0.12 [0.02, 0.22]), depressive symptoms (0.12 [0.02, 0.22]), body-weight satisfaction (0.07 [-0.02, 0.16]), and well-being (0.11 [0.01, 0.20]) were included (secondary objective, structural equation modelling). No associations were observed for boys and potential explanatory pathway variables were not examined. CONCLUSIONS In girls, high time spent on social media use (≥5 h/day) was positively associated with BMI z-score, and this association was partially explained by sleep duration, depressive symptoms, body-weight satisfaction, and well-being. Associations and attenuations between a self-reported summary variable of time spent on social media use and BMI z-score were small. Further research should examine whether time spent on social media use is related to other adolescent health metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Campbell Foubister
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Russell Jago
- Centre for Exercise, Nutrition & Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Stephen J Sharp
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Esther M F van Sluijs
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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28
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Ayoub C, Pritchard M, Bagnato M, Remedios L, Potvin Kent M. The extent of energy drink marketing on Canadian social media. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:767. [PMID: 37098495 PMCID: PMC10131399 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15437-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caffeinated energy drink (CED) consumption among children and adolescents is a growing global public health concern due to its potential to produce adverse effects. CED marketing viewed by children and adolescents contributes to this problem as it increases consumption and favourable attitudes towards these high-caffeine and high-sugar products. This study aimed to describe the social media marketing of CEDs by estimating the frequency of user-generated and company-generated CED marketing and analyzing the marketing techniques used by Canadian CED brands on social media. METHODS CED products and brands were identified using the list of CEDs that received a Temporary Marketing Authorization from Health Canada in June 2021. The data on the frequency, reach and engagement of CED-related posts created by users and Canadian CED brands on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, and YouTube were licensed from Brandwatch for 2020-2021. A content analysis was conducted to assess the marketing techniques used in Canadian CED company-generated posts using a coding manual. RESULTS A total of 72 Canadian CED products were identified. Overall, there were 222,119 user-level mentions of CED products in total and the mentions reached an estimated total of 351,707,901 users across platforms. The most popular product accounted for 64.8% of the total user-level mentions. Canadian social media company-owned accounts were found for 27 CED brands. Two CED brands posted the most frequently on Twitter and accounted for the greatest reach, together making up 73.9% of the total company-level posts and reaching 62.5% of the total users in 2020. On Instagram/Facebook, the most popular brand accounted for 23.5% of the company-level posts and 81.3% of the reach between July and September 2021. The most popular marketing techniques used by Canadian CED brands were the use of viral marketing strategies (82.3% of Twitter posts and 92.5% of Instagram/Facebook posts) and the presence of teen themes (73.2% of Twitter posts and 39.4% of Instagram/Facebook posts). CONCLUSION CED companies are extensively promoting their products across social media platforms using viral marketing strategies and themes that may appeal to adolescents. These findings may inform CED regulatory decision-making. Continued monitoring is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanelle Ayoub
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Cres., Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Cres., Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Cres., Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Cres., Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Cres., Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
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29
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Elliott C, Truman E, Black JE. Tracking teen food marketing: Participatory research to examine persuasive power and platforms of exposure. Appetite 2023; 186:106550. [PMID: 37019155 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Food marketing has long been recognized to influence children's food preferences and consumption patterns, yet only in recent years have teenagers been recognized as a uniquely vulnerable audience for food marketing appeals. Marketing pressures on teenagers around food promotion continue to intensify, yet little is known about the marketing channels and specific persuasive appeals targeting this audience. Given this research gap, this participatory research study engages teenagers to capture the food marketing targeting them and to identify its persuasive "power" and platforms of exposure. Using a specially designed mobile app called GrabFM! (Grab Food Marketing!) teenagers (ages 13-17, n = 309) identified and tagged examples of teen-targeted food marketing in their physical and digital environments over a 7-day period. Results reveal that: 1) digital platforms dominate teen-targeted food marketing, with over three quarters of the ads found on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, ad YouTube; 2) branded beverages, fast food, and candy/chocolate comprise the majority (72%) of ads; and 3) the most powerful techniques for attracting teens attention are visual style, special offer and theme. In 40% of advertisements submitted, teenagers used only one indicator to identify "teen-targeted", although older teenagers (ages 15-17) were more likely to report multiple indicators per ad. This study provides important insights into the platforms targeting teenagers (and their relative importance), the food products endorsed, and the specific appeals that teenagers find persuasive. For the purposes of monitoring, it is helpful to know that digital platforms comprise the majority of teen-directed food promotions, and that the Big Food brands have been joined by countless smaller players to sell food to teens.
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30
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Potvin Kent M, Soares Guimaraes J, Pritchard M, Remedios L, Pauzé E, L'Abbé M, Mulligan C, Vergeer L, Weippert M. Differences in child and adolescent exposure to unhealthy food and beverage advertising on television in a self-regulatory environment. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:555. [PMID: 36959572 PMCID: PMC10037770 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15027-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food and beverage promotion is a contributor to children's dietary behaviours, and ultimately, downstream health consequences. Broadcast television remains an important source of such advertising. The objective of this study was to examine and compare children and adolescent's exposure to food advertising on television in Canada over an entire year in a self-regulatory environment. METHODS Television advertising data for 57 selected food and beverage categories were licensed from Numerator for 36 stations in Toronto, for 2019. The estimated average number of advertisements viewed by children aged 2-11 and adolescents aged 12-17 was determined overall, by food category, and by marketing technique. The healthfulness of advertisements was also assessed using Health Canada's Nutrient Profile Model. RESULTS Overall in 2019, children viewed 2234.4 food ads/person/yr while adolescents viewed 1631.7 ads, exposure for both groups stemmed primarily from stations with general appeal, and both age groups were exposed to a range of powerful marketing techniques. Exposure to advertising for restaurants, snacks, breakfast food and candy and chocolate was high among both age groups and the healthfulness of most advertised products was considered poor. Adolescents were exposed to 36.4% more food products classified as unhealthy, had higher exposure to all marketing techniques examined, and were exposed to substantially more child-related marketing techniques compared to children. CONCLUSION Children and adolescents were heavily exposed to food advertisements on television in 2019. Despite current self-regulatory policies, children's exposure to unhealthy food and beverages remains high. Differences in exposure to food advertisements by food category and healthfulness may suggest that adolescents are being disproportionately targeted by food companies as a result of self-regulatory marketing restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
| | - Julia Soares Guimaraes
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Elise Pauzé
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Mary L'Abbé
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christine Mulligan
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Laura Vergeer
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Madyson Weippert
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Acton RB, Bagnato M, Remedios L, Potvin Kent M, Vanderlee L, White CM, Hammond D. Examining differences in children and adolescents' exposure to food and beverage marketing in Canada by sociodemographic characteristics: Findings from the International Food Policy Study Youth Survey, 2020. Pediatr Obes 2023; 18:e13028. [PMID: 36958860 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many countries, including Canada, are considering regulations to restrict food and beverage marketing to children. However, little evidence is available outside of the US on how marketing exposure differs across sociodemographic subgroups. OBJECTIVE To investigate potential associations between child and adolescent sociodemographic characteristics and exposure to food and beverage marketing in Canada. METHODS Participants (n = 3780) aged 10-17 self-reported exposure to food and beverage marketing across food categories, locations and marketing techniques. Logistic regression models tested relationships between sociodemographics (age, sex, ethnicity and income adequacy) and marketing exposure. RESULTS Among other differences identified, 13-17 years old were more likely than 10-12 years old to report seeing unhealthy food marketing online. Girls were more likely than boys to see such marketing online and in retail settings, while boys were more likely to see it in video games. Minority ethnicities (including Indigenous youth) and respondents with lower income adequacy generally reported more exposure than White and higher income respondents, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights important differences in marketing exposure among youth of different sociodemographic groups in Canada, including greater exposure to marketing among those most disadvantaged and emphasizes the essential need to consider food marketing across equity groups when developing restrictions on marketing to kids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel B Acton
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lana Vanderlee
- École de Nutrition, Centre de Nutrition, Santé et Société (NUTRISS), Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Christine M White
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Hammond
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Gaucher-Holm A, Wood B, Sacks G, Vanderlee L. The structure of the Canadian packaged food and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturing and grocery retailing sectors through a public health lens. Global Health 2023; 19:18. [PMID: 36906536 PMCID: PMC10008568 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-023-00917-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Corporate power has been recognized as an important influence on food environments and population health more broadly. Understanding the structure of national food and beverage markets can provide important insight into the power held by leading corporations. This study aimed to descriptively analyze the structure of the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing and grocery retailing sectors as of 2020/21. METHODS Packaged food manufacturers, non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers and grocery retailers with ≥ 1% market share in 2020/21 in Canada as per Euromonitor International were identified and characterized. Proportion of market share held by public vs private, multinational vs national, and foreign multinational companies was assessed for the 3 sectors. The concentration of 14 packaged food, 8 non-alcoholic beverage and 5 grocery retailing markets was assessed using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) and the four firm concentration ratio (CR4) (HHI > 1800 and CR4 > 60 suggest high market concentration). Company ownership structure was also assessed, including common ownership of public companies by three of the largest global asset managers using data from Refinitiv Eikon, a financial market database. RESULTS The Canadian non-alcoholic beverage manufacturing sector, and, to a lesser extent, the packaged food manufacturing sector were dominated by foreign multinational companies, in contrast with the grocery retailing sector which was dominated by national companies. Market concentration varied across sectors and markets but was substantially greater within the retailing (median CR4 = 84; median HHI = 2405) and non-alcoholic beverage sectors (median CR4 = 72; median HHI = 1995) compared to the packaged food sector (median CR4 = 51; median HHI = 932). There was considerable evidence of common ownership across sectors. Overall, the Vanguard Group Inc owned at least 1% of shares in 95% of publicly listed companies, Blackrock Institutional Trust Company 71%, and State Street Global Advisors (US) 43%. CONCLUSIONS The Canadian packaged food and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturing and grocery retailing sectors include several consolidated markets, with a high degree of common ownership by major investors. Findings suggest that a small number of large corporations, particularly in the retailing sector, have extensive power to influence Canadian food environments; their policies and practices warrant substantial attention as part of efforts to improve population diets in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Gaucher-Holm
- École de nutrition, Centre Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS), Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval, 2425 rue de l'Agriculture, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Benjamin Wood
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Gary Sacks
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Lana Vanderlee
- École de nutrition, Centre Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS), Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval, 2425 rue de l'Agriculture, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Valero-Morales I, Nieto C, García A, Espinosa-Montero J, Aburto TC, Tatlow-Golden M, Boyland E, Barquera S. The nature and extent of food marketing on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube posts in Mexico. Pediatr Obes 2023; 18:e13016. [PMID: 36867060 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Food and beverage marketing appealing to children and adolescents has an impact on their food preferences, purchases requests, consumption patterns, health outcomes, and obesity. The objective of this study was to assess the nature and extent of food and beverage marketing on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube posts in Mexico. This was a content analysis that followed the World Health Organization CLICK methodology to comprehend the landscape of digital food marketing campaigns of the top-selling food products and brands and the most popular accounts carried out between September and October 2020. A total of 926 posts from 12 food and beverage products and 8 brands were included. Facebook was the social media platform with the most posts and greatest engagement. The most prevalent marketing techniques were brand logo, image of packaging, image of the product itself, hashtags, and engagement to consume. Fifty percent of the posts were assessed as appealing to children, 66% to adolescents, and 80% to either children or adolescents. Ninety-one percent of products (n = 1250) were classified as unhealthy according to the Mexican warning labels nutrient profile; 93% of the food promoted on posts appealing to either children or adolescents were unhealthy. Hashtags commonly referred to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the unhealthy food digital marketing features marketing techniques that appeal to children or adolescents; moreover, the use of the pandemic hashtag reflected brands' responsiveness to the environment at the time of the study. The present data contribute to evidence supporting the strengthening of food marketing regulations in Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Valero-Morales
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.,Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Claudia Nieto
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Abad García
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Juan Espinosa-Montero
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Tania C Aburto
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Mimi Tatlow-Golden
- School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Emma Boyland
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Simón Barquera
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
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Kelly B, Backholer K, Boyland E, Kent MP, Bragg MA, Karupaiah T, Ng S. Contemporary Approaches for Monitoring Food Marketing to Children to Progress Policy Actions. Curr Nutr Rep 2023; 12:14-25. [PMID: 36746878 PMCID: PMC9974707 DOI: 10.1007/s13668-023-00450-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Protecting children from unhealthful food marketing is a global priority policy for improving population diets. Monitoring the nature and extent of children's exposure to this marketing is critical in policy development and implementation. This review summarises contemporary approaches to monitor the nature and extent of food marketing to support policy reform. RECENT FINDINGS Monitoring approaches vary depending on the stage of progress of related policy implementation, with resource implications and opportunity costs. Considerations include priority media/settings. marketing techniques assessed, approach to classifying foods, study design and if exposure assessments are based on media content analyses or are estimated or observed based on children's media use. Current evidence is largely limited to high-income countries and focuses on content analyses of TV advertising. Ongoing efforts are needed to support monitoring in low-resource settings and to progress monitoring to better capture children's actual exposures across media and settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Kelly
- Early Start, School of Health & Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
| | - Kathryn Backholer
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Emma Boyland
- Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Marie A Bragg
- Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tilakavati Karupaiah
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - SeeHoe Ng
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
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Can I @handle it? The effects of sponsorship disclosure in TikTok influencer marketing videos with different product integration levels on adolescents’ persuasion knowledge and brand outcomes. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2023.107723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
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Tsochantaridou A, Sergentanis TN, Grammatikopoulou MG, Merakou K, Vassilakou T, Kornarou E. Food Advertisement and Dietary Choices in Adolescents: An Overview of Recent Studies. CHILDREN 2023; 10:children10030442. [PMID: 36980000 PMCID: PMC10047133 DOI: 10.3390/children10030442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents are exposed to food marketing through many routes, including television, movies, videos, print media, online games, and social media. The interplay between exposure to unhealthy food advertisements and food choices by adolescents is a field of special interest given the ongoing evolution of social media trends and marketing strategies. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the scientific findings in the last five years (2017–2022) regarding the possible influence of nutrition-related advertisements through television, social media, or video games on the choice and consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks in adolescents. Nineteen studies were included in this review. Adolescents exposed to unhealthy food and beverage advertising showed high desire and intention to consume the advertised foods, as evidenced by the majority of included studies. The effects of advertisements are reinforced by peer pressure and influencers and interact with socioeconomic, biological, and environmental factors. Food marketing represents part of the obesogenic environment of the present time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Tsochantaridou
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 196 Alexandras Avenue, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Theodoros N. Sergentanis
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 196 Alexandras Avenue, 11521 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence:
| | - Maria G. Grammatikopoulou
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece
| | - Kyriakoula Merakou
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 196 Alexandras Avenue, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Tonia Vassilakou
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 196 Alexandras Avenue, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Kornarou
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 196 Alexandras Avenue, 11521 Athens, Greece
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Meyerding SGH, Marpert JD. Modern pied pipers: Child social media influencers and junk food on YouTube: A study from Germany. Appetite 2023; 181:106382. [PMID: 36435300 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Kid influencers (under the age of 13) have profiles on social media platforms and create content to generate views and engagements. To reach young consumers, food companies are increasingly using kid influencers, perceived as highly trustworthy among children of the same age, to promote their (high-calorie) food products. Exposure to such content can lead to an increase in calorie intake. Therefore, this study aimed to identify which foods and beverages are featured in the videos of the four kid influencer channels most popular in Germany and, if possible, which Nutri-Score category these products receive. Of each channel, 50 of the most popular and 50 of the newest videos were analyzed regarding the food and beverage products and brands appearing in the video and the thumbnail. To analyze the number of appearances, each product was categorized as to whether it was branded or unbranded. Where possible, the Nutri-Score was then calculated for each product that appeared. Within the total video sample (N = 373), food and/or beverages appeared in almost 70% of the videos, of which 220 were branded and 178 were unbranded products. Due to incomplete nutrition labels of branded products, only 146 branded products could be analyzed, from which 66% received the worst Nutri-Score categories D and E. The unbranded foods were evaluated using products as similar as possible, of which the majority received Nutri-Score A. The most common brands included McDonald's, Kinder, and Coca-Cola, and the most frequent product categories were chocolate, candy, soft drinks, and fruit. The high number of high-calorie products in the videos shows that kid influencers might be regarded as a risk factor when it comes to childhood obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan G H Meyerding
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Home Economics, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Jasmin D Marpert
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Home Economics, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
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Potvin Kent M, Pauzé E, Remedios L, Wu D, Soares Guimaraes J, Pinto A, Bagnato M, Pritchard M, L’Abbé M, Mulligan C, Vergeer L, Weippert M. Advertising expenditures on child-targeted food and beverage products in two policy environments in Canada in 2016 and 2019. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279275. [PMID: 36630326 PMCID: PMC9833551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The food industry advertises unhealthy foods intended for children which in turn fosters poor diets. This study characterized advertising expenditures on child-targeted products in Canada and compared these expenditures between Quebec, where commercial advertising to children under 13 is restricted, and the rest of Canada, where food advertising to children is self-regulated. METHODS Advertising expenditures data for 2016 and 2019 for 57 select food categories and five media channels were licensed from Numerator. Products and brands targeted to children were identified based on their nature and the advertising techniques used to promote them. Advertising expenditures were classified as healthy/unhealthy using Health Canada's nutrient profile model. Expenditures per child capita aged 2-12 years were calculated and expenditures from 2016 were adjusted for inflation. Advertising expenditures were described by media, food category, year, and geographic region. RESULTS Overall, $57.2 million CAD was spent advertising child-targeted products in Canada in 2019. Television accounted for 77% of expenditures followed by digital media (18%), and the food categories with the highest expenditures were candy/chocolate (30%) and restaurants (16%). The totality of expenditures (99.9%-100%) in both Quebec and the rest of Canada in 2016 and 2019 were considered 'unhealthy'. Across all media channels (excluding digital), advertising expenditures were 9% lower in 2019 versus 2016. Advertising expenditures per capita were 32% lower in Quebec ($9.40/capita) compared to the rest of the country ($13.91/capita). CONCLUSION In Canada, millions are spent promoting child-targeted products considered inappropriate for advertising to children. While per capita advertising expenditures for these products are lower in Quebec compared to the rest of Canada, they remain high, suggesting that Quebec's commercial advertising restrictions directed to children are likely not sufficiently protecting them from unhealthy food advertising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Elise Pauzé
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - David Wu
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julia Soares Guimaraes
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Adena Pinto
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Mary L’Abbé
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christine Mulligan
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Laura Vergeer
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Madyson Weippert
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Potvin Kent M, Pauzé E, Bagnato M, Guimarães JS, Pinto A, Remedios L, Pritchard M, L'Abbé M, Mulligan C, Vergeer L, Weippert M. Advertising expenditures across media on food and beverage products heavily advertised on youth-appealing television stations in Canada. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2023; 48:27-37. [PMID: 36174233 DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2022-0219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
This research estimated and characterized advertising expenditures on food products heavily advertised on youth-appealing television stations in Canada in 2019 overall, by media, by food category, and compared expenditures in two policy environments (Quebec and the rest of Canada, excluding the territories) and on "healthier" versus "less healthy" products. Advertising expenditure estimates for 57 selected food categories promoted on television, radio, out-of-home media, print media, and popular websites were licensed from Numerator. Sixty-one products or brands were identified as heavily advertised on youth-appealing stations and classified as "healthier" or "less healthy" based on a nutrient profile model proposed by Health Canada. Total expenditures and expenditures per adolescent capita were calculated. Approximately, $110.9 million was spent advertising food products heavily advertised to adolescents in Canada in 2019, with television accounting for 77% of total expenditures and fast food restaurants accounting for 51%. Most expenditures (77%; $80.6 million) were devoted to advertising "less healthy" products. In Quebec, advertising expenditures on examined products were 23% lower per capita ($45.15/capita) compared to the rest of Canada ($58.44/capita). Advertising expenditures in Quebec were lower for energy drinks (-47%; -$0.80/capita) and candy and chocolate (-41%; -$1.00/capita) and higher for yogurt (+85%; +$1.22/capita) and portable snacks (+25%; +$0.15/capita). Quebec's restriction of commercial advertising directed to children under 13 may explain lower per capita advertising expenditures on some "less healthy" foods heavily advertised to adolescents in Quebec. Nevertheless, this spending remains high in Quebec and nationally. Continued monitoring of these expenditures is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Elise Pauzé
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Julia Soares Guimarães
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Adena Pinto
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Mary L'Abbé
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Christine Mulligan
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Laura Vergeer
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Madyson Weippert
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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Potvin Kent M, Guimaraes JS, Bagnato M, Remedios L, Pauzé E, Pritchard M, Wu D, L'Abbé M, Mulligan C, Vergeer L, Weippert M. Broadcast Television Is Not Dead: Exposure of Children to Unhealthy Food and Beverage Advertising on Television in Two Policy Environments (Ontario and Quebec). An Observational Study. J Nutr 2023; 153:268-278. [PMID: 36913461 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food marketing can influence children's dietary behaviors. In Canada, Quebec banned commercial advertising to children under the age of 13 y in 1980, whereas advertising to children is self-regulated by industry in the rest of the country. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to compare the extent and power of food and beverage advertising on television to children (age: 2-11 y) in two different policy environments (Ontario and Quebec). METHODS Advertising data for 57 selected food and beverage categories were licensed from Numerator for Toronto and Montreal (English and French markets) from January to December 2019. The 10 most popular stations for children (age: 2-11 y) and a subset of child-appealing stations were examined. Exposure to food advertisements (ads) was based on gross rating points. A content analysis of food ads was conducted, and the healthfulness of ads was assessed using Health Canada's proposed nutrient profile model. Descriptive statistics were tabulated for the frequency of and exposure to ads. RESULTS On average, children were exposed to 3.7 to 4.4 food and beverage ads per day, exposure to fast-food advertising was highest (670.7-550.6 ads per year), advertising techniques were used frequently, and the majority (>90%) of advertised products were classified as unhealthy. On the top 10 stations, French children in Montreal were most exposed to unhealthy food and beverage advertising (712.3 ads per year), although they were exposed to fewer child-appealing advertising techniques compared with those in other markets. On the child-appealing stations, French children in Montreal were least exposed to food and beverage advertising (43.6 ads per year per station) and child-appealing advertising techniques compared with the other groups. CONCLUSIONS The Consumer Protection Act appears to positively impact exposure to child-appealing stations; yet, it does not sufficiently protect all children in Quebec and requires strengthening. Federal-level regulations restricting unhealthy advertising are needed to protect children across Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Potvin Kent
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Julia Soares Guimaraes
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mariangela Bagnato
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elise Pauzé
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Wu
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mary L'Abbé
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Mulligan
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura Vergeer
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Madyson Weippert
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Amson A, Pauzé E, Remedios L, Pritchard M, Potvin Kent M. Adolescent exposure to food and beverage marketing on social media by gender: a pilot study. Public Health Nutr 2023; 26:33-45. [PMID: 36321517 PMCID: PMC11077454 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980022002312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this research was to determine if, based on gender, adolescents were exposed to different marketing techniques that promoted food and beverages over social media. DESIGN A secondary analysis of adolescent boy (n 26) and girl (n 36) exposures (n 139) to food and beverage marketing was conducted. Mann-Whitney U and Fisher's exact tests were conducted to compare the number, healthfulness and the marketing techniques of exposures viewed by boys and girls. SETTING Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS Sixty-two adolescents aged 12-16 years. RESULTS Boys and girls were exposed to similar volumes of food marketing instances (median = 2 for both boys and girls, Mann-Whitney U = 237, P = 0·51) per 10-min period of social media use. More girls viewed products that were excessive in total fat compared to boys (67 % v. 35 %, P = 0·02). Boys were more likely to view instances of food marketing featuring a male as the dominant user (50 % v. 22 %, P = 0·03), appeals to achievement (42 % v. 17 %, P = 0·04), an influencer (42 % v. 14 %, P = 0·02) and appeals to athleticism (35 % v. 11 %, P = 0·03), whereas girls were more likely to view instances of food marketing featuring quizzes, surveys or polls (25 % v. 0 %, P = 0·01). CONCLUSIONS Food and beverage companies utilise marketing techniques that differ based on gender. More research examining the relationship between digital food and beverage marketing and gender is required to inform the development of gender-sensitive policies aimed at protecting adolescents from unhealthy food marketing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Amson
- University of Ottawa, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Elise Pauzé
- University of Ottawa, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lauren Remedios
- University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ONK1N 7K4, Canada
| | - Meghan Pritchard
- University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ONK1N 7K4, Canada
| | - Monique Potvin Kent
- University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ONK1N 7K4, Canada
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Md Jamri H, Setiyaningrum Z, Abd Talib R, Buhari SS. Use of Social Media by Adolescents for Nutrition Intervention: Factors to consider. ASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOUR STUDIES 2022; 7:55-72. [DOI: 10.21834/aje-bs.v7i23.418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents are the largest population using social media in daily life, and their use is influenced by a wide range of factors. Hence, it is applied in nutrition intervention, which improved their health. However, some intervention lacks participation and engagement. This study identifies factors influencing adolescents’ social media use for nutrition interventions. An in-depth interview was conducted virtually for 30 to 60 minutes focusing on nutrition-related matters with 15 adolescents. Almost all of them were interested to participate in nutrition interventions on social media. User characteristics, environmental factors, and social media features were identified as the factors impacting them.
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Potvin Kent M, Pauzé E, Bagnato M, Guimarães JS, Pinto A, Remedios L, Pritchard M, L’Abbé MR, Mulligan C, Vergeer L, Weippert M. Food and beverage advertising expenditures in Canada in 2016 and 2019 across media. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1458. [PMID: 35915428 PMCID: PMC9340686 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13823-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Food and beverage advertising has been identified as a powerful determinant of dietary intake and weight. Available evidence suggests that the preponderance of food and beverage advertising expenditures are devoted to the promotion of unhealthy products. The purpose of this study is to estimate food advertising expenditures in Canada in 2019 overall, by media and by food category, determine how much was spent on promoting healthier versus less healthy products and assess whether changes in these expenditures occurred between 2016 and 2019.
Methods
Estimates of net advertising expenditures for 57 selected food categories promoted on television, radio, out-of-home media, print media and popular websites, were licensed from Numerator. The nutrient content of promoted products or brands were collected, and related expenditures were then categorized as “healthy” or “unhealthy” according to a Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) proposed by Health Canada. Expenditures were described using frequencies and relative frequencies and percent changes in expenditures between 2016 and 2019 were computed.
Results
An estimated $628.6 million was spent on examined food and beverage advertising in Canada in 2019, with television accounting for 67.7%, followed by digital media (11.8%). In 2019, most spending (55.7%) was devoted to restaurants, followed by dairy and alternatives (11%), and $492.9 million (87.2% of classified spending) was spent advertising products and brands classified as “unhealthy”. Fruit and vegetables and water accounted for only 2.1 and 0.8% of expenditures, respectively, in 2019. In 2019 compared to 2016, advertising expenditures decreased by 14.1% across all media (excluding digital media), with the largest decreases noted for print media (− 63.0%) and television (− 14.6%). Overall, expenditures increased the most in relative terms for fruit and vegetables (+ 19.5%) and miscellaneous products (+ 5%), while decreasing the most for water (− 55.6%) and beverages (− 47.5%).
Conclusions
Despite a slight drop in national food and beverage advertising spending between 2016 and 2019, examined expenditures remain high, and most products or brands being advertised are unhealthy. Expenditures across all media should continue to be monitored to assess Canada’s nutrition environment and track changes in food advertising over time.
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Nielsen DE, Karamanoglu I, Yang Han H, Labonté K, Paquet C. Food Values, Food Purchasing, and Eating-Related Outcomes Among a Sample of Quebec Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic. CAN J DIET PRACT RES 2022:1-8. [DOI: 10.3148/cjdpr-2022-030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: This investigation evaluated food values, food purchasing, and other food and eating-related outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada. The role of stress in eating outcomes was also examined. Methods: An online household survey was conducted among Quebec adults aged ≥18 years (n = 658). Changes in outcomes during, as compared to before, the pandemic were evaluated using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of free text responses. Eating outcomes by daily stress level (low, some, high) were assessed using Cochran–Armitage test for trend. Results: Most respondents reported increased importance and purchasing of local food products (77% and 68%, respectively) and 60% reported increased grocery spending (mean ± standard deviation: 28% ± 23%). Respondents with a higher daily stress level had a higher frequency of reporting eating more than usual compared to before the pandemic (low stress 21%, some stress 34%, high stress 39%, p-trend <0.0001). Free text responses described more time spent at home as a reason for eating more than usual. Conclusions: To support healthy eating during and post-pandemic, dietitians should consider patients’ mental/emotional well-being and time spent at home. Moreover, support of local food products may provide opportunities to promote healthy eating, sustainability, and post-pandemic resiliency of food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Catherine Paquet
- Faculté des sciences de l’administration, Laval University, Quebec, QC
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Pollack CC, Emond JA, Masterson TD. Associations between adolescent and young adult External Food Cue Responsiveness (EFCR) and brand recall, product craving and product purchasing in the livestreaming food marketing environment. Public Health Nutr 2022; 25:3036-3043. [PMID: 35920082 PMCID: PMC9991748 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980022001628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the utility of three validated food responsiveness scales in measuring recall of, and responsiveness to, food marketing exposure on social media. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey among adolescents and adults who used the social media platform Twitch.tv (Twitch). Responsiveness to food marketing was self-reported as craving or purchasing any brands participants observed on Twitch. Participants completed three validated scales of food responsiveness: the revised 18-question Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), the external eating subscale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and the External Food Cue Responsiveness (EFCR) scale. Adjusted linear regression models assessed the predictive ability of each scale on recall and responsiveness outcomes. SETTING Online survey. PARTICIPANTS Five hundred and sixty-eight Twitch users (90·1 % male, 60·6 % White, 43·7 % aged 18-24, 25·9 % under 18). RESULTS In separate adjusted linear regression models, scores on the TFEQ were not related to any outcome, while DEBQ scores related to product cravings (OR: 1·10, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·19, P = 0·02). In contrast, scores on the EFCR scale were significantly associated with higher brand recall (incident rate ratio: 1·42, 95 % CI 1·20, 1·68, P < 0·001), product craving (OR: 3·93, 95 % CI 2·22, 7·17, P < 0·001) and purchasing behaviour (OR: 3·97, 95 % CI 1·99, 8·26, P < 0·001). A subset of three EFCR scale items related to influencer marketing were similarly associated with each outcome with greater precision in the point estimates than the overall EFCR. CONCLUSIONS The EFCR scale predicted recall of and responsiveness to food marketing via Twitch, suggesting its utility in monitoring the effects of food marketing on social media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine C Pollack
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Jennifer A Emond
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Travis D Masterson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 119C Chandlee Laboratory, University Park, PA16802, USA
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Kim DM, Kim BM, Kim KH. The Mediating Effects of Food Content Watching Motivation on the between Watching Time and Nutrition Quotient of Adolescents in Seoul, Korea. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14193901. [PMID: 36235554 PMCID: PMC9572136 DOI: 10.3390/nu14193901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Food-related content varies widely and is increasingly popular. Using various media, teenagers can easily access food content, which could affect they eating habits. This study was conducted to confirm the effects of watching motivation on the relationship between food content watching time and eating habits among adolescents in Seoul, Korea. Exactly 806 participants were surveyed about their food content watching status, including watching time and watching motivation. The Nutrition Quotient for adolescents (NQ-A) questionnaire was used to confirm eating habits. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to classify watching motivation’s subfactors. A parallel multimedia model was used to analyze the effect of watching motivation on the relationship between food content watching time and eating habits. As a result of this study, following the factor analysis, watching motivation was classified into information acquisition, emotional satisfaction, and enjoyment. The influence of food content watching time on NQ-A scores through information acquisition motivation was positively significant, whereas that through emotional satisfaction motivation was negatively significant. Enjoyment motivation did not indirectly affect the relationship between food content watching time and NQ-A scores. Hence, attention should be paid to these mediating factors when analyzing the relationship between watching food-related content and eating habits. Developing and distributing content that meets viewing motivations should help improve adolescents’ eating habits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kyung-Hee Kim
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-901-8591; Fax: +82-2-901-8372
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47
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Rodríguez Delgado J, Campoy C, Galera Martínez R, Gallego Mayo E, Gil-Campos M, González Jiménez D, Redecillas Ferreiro S, Sáenz de Pipaón M, Leis R. Publicidad de alimentos no saludables. Posicionamiento del Comité de Nutrición y Lactancia Materna de la Asociación Española de Pediatría. An Pediatr (Barc) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2022.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
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Winzer E, Naderer B, Klein S, Lercher L, Wakolbinger M. Promotion of Food and Beverages by German-Speaking Influencers Popular with Adolescents on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191710911. [PMID: 36078625 PMCID: PMC9518047 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The promotion of nutritionally poor food and beverages (F&B) has a proven effect on children's eating preferences and, therefore, plays a significant role in today's childhood obesity epidemic. This study's objective was to assess the prevalence (exposure) and context (power) of the F&B cues in influencer content across three platforms: TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. The selected influencers were popular with adolescents, with a combined total of more than 34 million followers/subscribers. We employed the YouTube Influencer Marketing Protocol from the World Health Organization (WHO) as our basis for coding. We analysed a total of 360 videos/posts and, of these, 24% contained F&B cues, which is equivalent to 18.1 F&B cues/hour. In total, 77% of the cues were not permitted for children's advertising, according to WHO criteria, and this was stable across all platforms, with chocolate and sugary confectionery (23%) as the most frequently featured products. Not-permitted F&B had a four-times higher chance of being branded, a five-times higher chance of being described positively, and received significantly more 'likes'. In 62% of the analysed presentations, the branded product was mentioned, yet only 6% of the content was labelled as advertising. The present analysis delivers further grounds for discussion for policies and regulations of influencer marketing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Winzer
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Brigitte Naderer
- Department of Media & Communication, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Simeon Klein
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Leah Lercher
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Wakolbinger
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Beuckels E, De Jans S. 'My Mom Got Influenced by Yours': The persuasiveness of mom influencers in relation to mothers' food assessments and decisions. Appetite 2022; 178:106269. [PMID: 35963585 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Childhood obesity is a worldwide health problem with a range of short- and long-term health and social consequences; however, the World Health Organization (WHO) argues that this epidemic is preventable and reversible. The biggest dietary gatekeepers of children are their parents and more specifically mothers, whose attitudes and consumption choices are nowadays often affected by the opinions of influencers on social network sites (SNSs). Using two experimental studies, the current paper investigates how mothers' food assessments and decisions for their children are affected by sponsored posts on social media. The first study adopted a two-level between-subjects experiment (N = 81), which showed that mothers like sponsored Instagram posts better when they are posted by a mom influencer (i.e. a mother who accumulated a large following on social media and often engages in sponsored partnerships with brands) compared to a brand. This consequently positively affected source credibility, post engagement, purchase intention and the child appropriateness of the food. In the second experiment, a two-by-two between-subjects design (N = 169) showed that while a typical mom influencer is perceived as less effective in promoting food compared to an expert (i.e. a pediatric nutritionist) mom influencer due to lower credibility, a typical mom influencer is more efficient in promoting unhealthy foods through higher influencer-brand congruence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Beuckels
- Ghent University, Communication Sciences, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Steffi De Jans
- Ghent University, Communication Sciences, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
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50
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Unhealthy food advertising. A position paper by the AEP Committee on Nutrition and Breastfeeding. ANALES DE PEDIATRÍA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2022; 97:206.e1-206.e9. [PMID: 35953384 DOI: 10.1016/j.anpede.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Some important factors influencing and maintaining unhealthy habits are food advertising and products accessibility. In order to develop and support recommendations, an analysis of the available evidence on the impact of food advertising on the health of children and adolescents has been carried out. METHODS Literature review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses published up to January 2022 for the term "food advertising" that analyzed the impact of food advertising on weight, body mass index (BMI), adiposity, dietary intake, behavior toward the advertised product, its purchase or consumption in children and adolescents. RESULTS Twenty-one systematic reviews fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including a total of 490 primary studies, 5 of which also contained a meta-analysis. The vast majority of the primary studies evaluate intermediate effects, related to the behavior of children and adolescents in relation to advertised products and their consumption. There is great variety in terms of the type of advertising and effects studied. Most of the studies agree that there is an association between food advertising and effect analyzed, being more evident in children under 12 years of age and in obese children. Most recent systematic reviews are focused on online advertising, noticing the negative effects especially in adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Children and adolescents are a particularly vulnerable population to food advertising strategies. Despite the difficulty to demonstrate an independent effect, there is evidence of an association between food advertising and childhood and adolescents' behavior respect to the announced products, and the increase of consumption at short-term. In Spain unhealthy product advertising are still very common in the media and in the children and adolescent's online environment. The Nutrition and Breastfeeding Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics supports the need for regulation and limitation of unhealthy food advertising, covering all media and marketing strategies.
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