Challenges in Regulating Unhealthy Food Marketing

Reducing exposure to ads for unhealthy foods is important for improving diets and preventing childhood obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates government policies to restrict such marketing. However, few countries have implemented these policies, and the industry has largely responded with self-regulation focused on TV ads aimed at children under 12 or 13.

Over the past decade, children’s exposure to food-related advertisements on television has decreased significantly. According to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, the number of such ads has decreased from nearly 5000 per year in 2013 to approximately 1000 in 2022().

This decline is even more pronounced in children’s programming, where exposure has shifted significantly. By 2022, over 90% of children’s food-related ad exposure occurred on non-children’s programming, compared to just half a decade ago.

The study examines the effectiveness of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), a self-regulation program that began enforcing uniform nutrition criteria in 2014. While CFBAI-participating companies’ share of children’s food ad exposure decreased from nearly 60% in 2013 to around 40% in 2022, concerns remain about the nutritional quality of these ads.

Despite some improvement, more than 50% of ads viewed by children still promote products that exceed recommended nutrition guidelines. The study also highlighted that 85% of CFBAI-approved products for child advertising did not meet WHO guidelines, though recent revisions in 2020 have led to some improvement.

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Truth Behind Children’s Food Advertisements

Food advertisements directed at children can be divided into seven distinct categories: beverages, cereals, snacks, sweets, other foods (which include fruits and meats), fast food, and full-service restaurants. In analyzing the first five categories, researchers collected nutritional data from a variety of sources, finding that less than 9% of advertisements lacked the necessary information.

To assess whether these products should be marketed to children, the analysis employed guidelines established by health agencies, focusing on specific limits for saturated fat, trans fat, sugars, and sodium. Food products that exceeded these thresholds were identified, with particular benchmarks defined for different food items and meals.

Notably, certain exceptions were made for dairy products like milk and yogurt, which contain naturally occurring sugars. This situation underscores the persistent difficulties in effectively regulating the nutritional quality of food marketing directed at younger audiences, raising important questions about the impact of such advertising on children’s health.

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Racial Disparities in Advertising Exposure

The study also reveals troubling disparities in advertising exposure between Black and White children. Black children continued to experience higher exposure to food-related ads compared to their White counterparts, a gap that has widened again in 2022.

Despite a decrease in the disparity between 2017 and 2021, Black children aged 2-5 and 6-11 years saw 58% and 72% more food ads, respectively, compared to White children. This disparity persists even when accounting for differences in TV viewing time.

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Influence of Digital Ads

The reduction in traditional TV viewing among children, which has dropped by more than 50% from 2013 to 2020, is accompanied by increased screen media use. This shift has led to rising exposure to food marketing on digital platforms.

For example, YouTube is increasingly popular among young children, and two-thirds of popular child-influencer videos feature food-related content. International studies indicate that children are frequently exposed to food marketing on digital and social media platforms, often promoting unhealthy products like fast food and sugary snacks.

The study’s findings underscore the limitations of current self-regulation efforts and suggest the need for government action to address health disparities. By imposing stricter regulations on unhealthy food advertising, particularly in digital media, it may be possible to mitigate the disproportionate impact on children from minoritized communities and improve overall dietary habits.

Reference:

Trends in Children’s Exposure to Food and Beverage Advertising on Television - (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822718?utm )

Source-Medindia

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