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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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Minaker LM, Menko P, Olona D. Development and testing of two tools to assess point-of-sale food and beverage marketing to children in restaurants. Public Health Nutr 2024; 27:e128. [PMID: 38705591 PMCID: PMC11112432 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980024000983] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the development and testing of two assessment tools designed to assess exterior (including drive-thru) and interior food and beverage marketing in restaurants with a focus on marketing to children and teens. DESIGN A scoping review on restaurant marketing to children was undertaken, followed by expert and government consultations to produce a draft assessment tool. The draft tool was mounted online and further refined into two separate tools: the Canadian Marketing Assessment Tool for Restaurants (CMAT-R) and the CMAT-Photo Coding Tool (CMAT-PCT). The tools were tested to assess inter-rater reliability using Cohen's Kappa and per cent agreement for dichotomous variables, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) for continuous or rank-order variables. SETTING Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS Restaurants of all types were assessed using the CMAT-R (n 57), and thirty randomly selected photos were coded using the CMAT-PCT. RESULTS The CMAT-R collected data on general promotions and restaurant features, drive-thru features, the children's menu and the dollar/value menu. The CMAT-PCT collected data on advertisement features, features considered appealing to children and teens, and characters. The inter-rater reliability of the CMAT-R tool was strong (mean per cent agreement was 92·4 %, mean Cohen's κ = 0·82 for all dichotomous variables and mean ICC = 0·961 for continuous/count variables). The mean per cent agreement for the CMAT-PCT across items was 97·3 %, and mean Cohen's κ across items was 0·91, indicating very strong inter-rater reliability. CONCLUSIONS The tools assess restaurant food and beverage marketing. Both showed high inter-rater reliability and can be adapted to better suit other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leia M Minaker
- School of Planning, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Patrycia Menko
- School of Planning, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - David Olona
- School of Planning, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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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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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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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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Delgado A, Gonçalves S, Romano A. Mediterranean Diet: The Role of Phenolic Compounds from Aromatic Plant Foods. Foods 2023; 12:foods12040840. [PMID: 36832914 PMCID: PMC9957056 DOI: 10.3390/foods12040840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Today's global food system aggravates climate change while failing in meeting SDG2 and more. Yet, some sustainable food cultures, such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD), are simultaneously safe, healthy, and rooted in biodiversity. Their wide range of fruits, herbs, and vegetables convey many bioactive compounds, often associated with colour, texture, and aroma. Phenolic compounds are largely responsible for such features of MD's foods. These plant secondary metabolites all share in vitro bioactivities (e.g., antioxidants), and some are evidenced in vivo (e.g., plant sterols lower cholesterol levels in blood). The present work examines the role of polyphenols in the MD, with respect to human and planetary health. Since the commercial interest in polyphenols is increasing, a strategy for the sustainable exploitation of Mediterranean plants is essential in preserving species at risk while valuing local cultivars (e.g., through the geographical indication mechanism). Finally, the linkage of food habits with cultural landscapes, a cornerstone of the MD, should enable awareness-raising about seasonality, endemism, and other natural constraints to ensure the sustainable exploitation of Mediterranean plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélia Delgado
- MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Sandra Gonçalves
- MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Anabela Romano
- MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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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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