Impact of Junk Food Advertising on Children's Caloric Intake

New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain, reveals that just five minutes of exposure to advertisements for unhealthy foods can lead children and adolescents to consume an additional 130 calories per day. This study highlights the growing concern regarding the effects of junk food marketing on young people's dietary habits.

The focus of the study was on children aged 7 to 15, who were found to increase their caloric intake significantly after being exposed to advertisements for foods high in saturated fats, sugars, and salts (HFSS). The extra calories consumed equate to the energy found in two slices of bread, underscoring the potential impact of advertising on childhood obesity rates.

Lead researchers emphasized that the findings provide critical insights into how various forms of media marketing influence children's eating behaviors. Short exposure to HFSS food advertisements can lead to excess calorie consumption, which is particularly concerning for young individuals who are more impressionable and whose eating habits can set the course for their long-term health.

The study also investigated the effects of different types of advertising, including brand-only ads, which feature logos without specific product images, and various media formats such as audio-visual, visual, audio, and static images. Despite the lack of clarity on how these different formats may uniquely affect consumption, the results indicated that children consumed more food overall after viewing HFSS advertisements compared to non-food ads.

A total of 240 participants from schools across Merseyside, UK, were involved in the trial. Participants were exposed to HFSS and non-food advertisements in different formats and then monitored for their subsequent snack and lunch intake. The research additionally measured height and weight to compute body mass index (BMI), while socioeconomic status was assessed using the English Index of Multiple Deprivation.

The findings revealed a marked increase in caloric intake following exposure to HFSS advertisements, with children consuming an average of 58.4 more calories from snacks and 72.5 more from lunch. The cumulative effect resulted in an additional 130.9 calories consumed. Notably, the type of advertisement--whether brand-only or product-focused--did not affect the level of increased intake.

Furthermore, the study found that neither the medium of advertisement nor socioeconomic factors influenced the caloric consumption levels, although a correlation was established between higher BMI scores and increased caloric intake. For each unit increase in BMI, children consumed an additional 17 calories.

These results underscore the significant role of unhealthy food marketing in contributing to increased caloric intake among youth, raising concerns about long-term weight gain and health implications. The study's authors advocate for the development of restrictive food marketing policies aimed at safeguarding children's health, particularly in light of the growing obesity epidemic.