Parents’ Perceptions of Children’s Exposure to Unhealthy Food Marketing: a Narrative Review of the Literature

Abstract

Purpose of Review A key driver of unhealthy diets in children is the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages. Attempts to regulate children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing through government-led policies are challenged by commercial interests. Parents shoulder the responsibility of counteracting the effects of omnipresent unhealthy food marketing that children are exposed to within the food environment. In this narrative review we aimed to synthesise the evidence over the last 10 years on parents' perceptions of children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing and parents support for policies to restrict this marketing. Recent Findings The evidence indicates that unhealthy food marketing leads parents to feel undermined in their ability to provide healthy foods to their children. Despite this concern, parents tend to underestimate the levels of exposure to, and impacts of, unhealthy food marketing to their children, especially in the digital ecosystem. Summary The voices and support of parents represent a significant opportunity to accelerate policy action on food marketing. Increasing awareness among parents and caregivers to the high levels and harmful impacts of children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing, focusing on their right not to be undermined by such action, may drive support for policy change. Further research is needed to understand parents’ attitudes and perceptions related to their children’s exposure to contemporary unhealthy food marketing, specifically in digital environments, and the perspectives of fathers and parents from low and middle-income countries.

Strategies used by the soft drink industry to grow and sustain sales: a case-study of The Coca-Cola Company in East Asia

“…Our findings support evidence showing industry-led codes are ineffective at reducing children’s exposure to unhealthy food and beverage marketing 158–161. Our results reinforce global recommendations from the WHO and other bodies to move away from a ‘child-directed’ approach to marketing restrictions, and towards actions that target all marketing that children are exposed to, or which has the intention of influencing children’s UPF consumption 157…”

“…While many of TCCC’s identified marketing campaigns are not in violation of these pledges, which commonly only apply to children under the age of 12 years, they highlight how explicit TCCC is at targeting the gatekeepers of young children’s diets (mothers), and older children. These findings are concerning because of the demonstrated influence of unhealthy food and beverage marketing over children’s food and beverage preferences for and consumption of unhealthy products, with unhealthy food and beverage marketing shown to increase children’s requests for advertised products and undermine caregivers’ intentions to provide healthier foods and beverages 47 155–157. Our findings support evidence showing industry-led codes are ineffective at reducing children’s exposure to unhealthy food and beverage marketing 158–161.…”

“… 158–161 Our results reinforce global recommendations from the WHO and other bodies to move away from a ‘child-directed’ approach to marketing restrictions, and towards actions that target all marketing that children are exposed to, or which has the intention of influencing children’s UPF consumption. 157 …”

“…[158][159][160][161] Our results reinforce global recommendations from the WHO and other bodies to move away from a 'child-directed' approach to marketing restrictions, and towards actions that target all marketing that children are exposed to, or which has the intention of influencing children's UPF consumption. 157 An interesting insight from this analysis was the use of PR by TCCC. We report on the multiple ways in which TCCC operationalises its PR activities to seemingly support human rights, environmental sustainability and 13 BMJ Global community programmes, while continuing to expand sales of products harmful to human and environmental health.…”

Diet Therapy and Public Health

“…However, we must be cognizant that the demand by consumers is a key determinant of the food offered by these informal food outlets [ 58 , 66 ]. This is also the case in terms of the type of food sold in schools, as evidence [ 67 , 68 ] has shown that the reason why this food is mostly unhealthy [ 69 ] is because children demand unhealthy food [ 70 ], and their preference for this food is fueled by food marketing [ 61 ]. This has a strong policy implication; hence, policy reforms are required to increase access to affordable healthy food options in communities and schools, so as to curb the indiscriminate sale and marketing of unhealthy food.…”