Government Can Regulate Food Advertising To Children Because Cognitive Research Shows That It Is Inherently Misleading

Graff, Samantha; Kunkel, Dale; Mermin, Seth E.

doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0609

Cited by 57 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 34 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…34 Therefore, this analysis limits the impact of an advertising ban to fast food and uses age 12 years because research shows children under this age do not understand advertising’s persuasive intent and cannot cognitively defend themselves from its effects. 35,36 …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing Childhood Obesity through U.S. Federal Policy

Kristensen

Flottemesch

Maciosek

et al. 2014

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Background Childhood obesity prevalence remains high in the U.S., especially among racial/ethnic minorities and low-income populations. Federal policy is important in improving public health given its broad reach. Information is needed about federal policies that could reduce childhood obesity rates and by how much. Purpose To estimate the impact of three federal policies on childhood obesity prevalence in 2032, after 20 years of implementation. Methods Criteria were used to select the three following policies to reduce childhood obesity from 26 recommended policies: afterschool physical activity programs, a $0.01/ounce sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) excise tax, and a ban on child-directed fast food TV advertising. For each policy, the literature was reviewed from January 2000 through July 2012 to find evidence of effectiveness and create average effect sizes. In 2012, a Markov microsimulation model estimated each policy’s impact on diet or physical activity, and then BMI, in a simulated school-aged population in 2032. Results The microsimulation predicted that afterschool physical activity programs would reduce obesity the most among children aged 6–12 years (1.8 percentage points) and the advertising ban would reduce obesity the least (0.9 percentage points). The SSB excise tax would reduce obesity the most among adolescents aged 13–18 years (2.4 percentage points). All three policies would reduce obesity more among blacks and Hispanics than whites, with the SSB excise tax reducing obesity disparities the most. Conclusions All three policies would reduce childhood obesity prevalence by 2032. However, a national $0.01/ounce SSB excise tax is the best option.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing Childhood Obesity through U.S. Federal Policy

Kristensen

Flottemesch

Maciosek

et al. 2014

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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“…27 However, independent research groups have highlighted several limitations of that program, 28,29 and young children remain highly exposed to TV advertisements for foods that may contribute to unhealthy dietary patterns. Legislative efforts to reduce children's exposures to TV advertising for unhealthy foods in the United States should be encouraged 18 if current self-regulatory efforts do not improve. Pediatricians can also play a vital role in helping to reduce a young child's exposure to food advertisements.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Randomized Exposure to Food Advertisements and Eating in the Absence of Hunger Among Preschoolers

et al. 2016

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BACKGROUND: Preschoolers in the United States are heavily exposed to unhealthy food advertisements. Whether such exposure promotes cued eating has not been documented in this age group. METHODS:Randomized experiment among 60 children, aged 2 to 5 years, recruited in 2015-2016 from New Hampshire and Vermont. Children completed the experiment at a behavioral laboratory. Children were provided with a healthy snack to consume upon arrival then randomized to view a 14-minute TV program embedded with advertisements for either a food or a department store. Children were provided 2 snack foods to consume ad libitum while viewing the TV program; 1 of those snacks was the food advertised. Eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) was operationalized as the kilocalories of snack foods consumed. t tests were used to compare EAH by advertisement condition; linear regression models assessed effect modification by the child's age, sex, BMI percentile, and parental feeding restriction. RESULTS:Mean age was 4.1 (SD 0.9) years, 55% of children were male, 80% were nonHispanic white, and 20% were overweight or obese. There were no differences in child or socioeconomic characteristics by advertisement condition. Child BMI was not related to EAH. Mean kilocalories consumed during the EAH phase was greater among children exposed to the food advertisements (126.8, SD: 58.5) versus those exposed to the nonfood advertisements (97.3, SD: 52.3; P = .04), an effect driven by greater consumption of the advertised food (P < .01). There was no evidence of effect modification. CONCLUSIONS:Findings suggest that food advertisement exposure may encourage obesogeniceating behaviors among the very young.

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“…their lack of cognitive maturity means that they tend to accept commercial claims and appeals as fair, accurate, and balanced when in fact they are not." 13 Under this logic, it is manipulative to market all products to children, even "better-for-you" choices. the supreme Court's (and others') focus on children's cognitive abilities, not the product itself, suggests that it is equally manipulative to market spinach to children using spongebob squarePants as it is to market Pop-tarts.…”

Section: Calories and Ethicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marketing Foods to Children: Are We Asking the Right Questions?

Elliott

2012

Childhood Obesity

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The childhood obesity epidemic has prompted a range of regulatory initiatives that seek to reduce the impact of food marketing on children. Policy recommendations by government and public health organizations have suggested regulating the promotion of high-sugar, -fat, and/or -salt foods to children, while the food industry has created voluntary nutrition guidelines to channel child-targeted marketing toward only "better-for-you" products. This article argues that the overarching focus on the nutrient profile of foods (nutritionism) is wrong-headed: The slippage in terms from "better-for-you" foods to "healthy dietary choices" is problematic and also makes it difficult for children to identify the healthy choice. Nutritionism further works to sidestep important questions pertaining to the ethics of food marketing, not to mention the way that marketing foods as fun and entertainment works to encourage overeating in children.

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Government Can Regulate Food Advertising To Children Because Cognitive Research Shows That It Is Inherently Misleading

Cited by 57 publications

References 34 publications

Reducing Childhood Obesity through U.S. Federal Policy

Reducing Childhood Obesity through U.S. Federal Policy

Randomized Exposure to Food Advertisements and Eating in the Absence of Hunger Among Preschoolers

Marketing Foods to Children: Are We Asking the Right Questions?

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