The advertised diet: an examination of the extent and nature of food advertising on Australian television

Abstract

Issues addressed: The aim of the present study was to describe food advertising and expenditure on Australian television, and to conduct an audit to assess what proportion of food and beverage television advertisements was consistent with dietary recommendations. Methods: Data were acquired from a national media monitoring company for advertisements broadcast in five major Australian cities from 1 September 2010 to 31 October 2010. Content analysis was undertaken on these advertisements and the advertised foods were assessed against the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. The data also included advertising expenditures. Results: Most advertised foods were non-core foods (63%), with few advertisements for fruits and vegetables (6%). Advertisements for non-core foods were significantly more frequent during prime time viewing periods (71% vs 60%; P < 0.01). High levels of advertising for fast food (28%) and non-core beverages (24%) were recorded. Conclusions: The present study found that the foods advertised during the data-collection period were inconsistent with the recommended diet. There are clear areas for policy concern given that the majority of recorded advertisements were for foods classified as 'occasional foods', there were low levels of advertising for fruit and vegetables, and there were no social marketing messages to support healthy eating. So what?The findings of the study suggest that there is an urgent need for more comprehensive regulation of food advertising in Australia.

Factors associated with parents' attitudes to unhealthy foods and beverages

“…44,45 In the Australian context, despite the existence of a system of voluntary food advertising regulation, the majority of food advertisements to which children are exposed are for unhealthy products. 31,32,46 The ineffectiveness of these regulations and the results of the present study support the calls for more comprehensive approaches to advertising regulation. 47 A potential example lies in the way alcohol advertising is controlled in France, where only very limited information can be conveyed, such as that relating to product origin and composition.…”

“…In the Australian context, despite the existence of a system of voluntary food advertising regulation, the majority of food advertisements to which children are exposed are for unhealthy products . The ineffectiveness of these regulations and the results of the present study support the calls for more comprehensive approaches to advertising regulation .…”

“…[28][29][30] High levels of consumption of soft drinks are likely to be a reflection of the substantial advertising expenditure devoted to this product category. 31,32 Given growing health concerns about soft drink consumption combined with high levels of intake, it is timely to assess parents' attitudes to this product category and how they compare to attitudes for EDNP foods to inform future health promotion efforts in this area.…”

“…More recently, increasing emphasis has been placed on the specific role of soft drinks and other sugar‐sweetened beverages in contributing to a positive energy balance, thereby increasing the risk of obesity . High levels of consumption of soft drinks are likely to be a reflection of the substantial advertising expenditure devoted to this product category . Given growing health concerns about soft drink consumption combined with high levels of intake, it is timely to assess parents' attitudes to this product category and how they compare to attitudes for EDNP foods to inform future health promotion efforts in this area.…”

Factors influencing the frequency of children's consumption of soft drinks

“…As such, efforts to reduce child pestering for soft drinks are needed to address the pervasive marketing of soft drinks in Australia . Children have been found to be exposed to large quantities of such advertisements, despite the existence of (largely ineffective) voluntary regulations (King, Hebden, Grunseit, Kelly, & Chapman, 2013;Roberts et al, 2013;Roberts, Pettigrew, Chapman, Quester, & Miller, 2014). Greater restrictions on food marketing are thus likely to constitute an important area for future policy attention (Sacks, Swinburn, & Lawrence, 2009;WHO, 2015).…”