Television Food Advertising to Children: A Global Perspective Essay Example

children. A study conducted in Australia compared television food advertising to children in multiple countries and involved collaboration among 13 research groups from Australia, Asia, Western Europe, and North and South America.

Between October 2007 and March 2008, each group documented programming for 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days between 6:00 and 22:00. This data was collected for the 3 channels most frequently watched by children. In our classification, food advertisements were categorized as core (nutrient dense, low in energy), noncore (high in undesirable nutrients or energy, as defined by dietary standards), or miscellaneous. Additionally, we analyzed thematic content such as promotional characters and premiums. Our findings revealed that food advertisements constituted 11% to 29% of all advertisements.

Between 53% and 87% of food advertisements showcased noncore foods, and the frequency of noncore food advertising was particularly elevated during children's prime viewing hours. The majority of food advertisements utilizing persuasive marketing techniques were for noncore items. As a result, our study supports the need for regulations on food advertising during peak children's viewing periods due to the established link between food advertising, preferences, and consumption.

During the most popular children’s programs, the rate of unhealthy food advertisements with premiums was 18 times higher compared to adults’ popular programs. Additionally, the rate of advertisements with promotional characters was twice as high. We conducted a study to compare and analyze television food advertising targeted at children across different countries, including assessing the frequency and nature of these advertisements. We also examined food advertising during peak viewing periods for children and evaluated the use of persuasive marketing techniques.