Obesity in children - effects of advertising Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM

obesity in children - effects of advertising

Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM

© Rosemary Stanton 2005

excess weight in Australia

all ages & both sexes getting fatter - starts young

increase rapid & continuing no one accepts

responsibility looking for something to

blame


increases in 10-year period

number of children classified as overweight almost doubled

number of children classified as obese more than tripled


since 1995 the problem is continuing

Central Coast NSW (2000) - 25% of children (26% boys & 24% girls) overweight or obese

Victorian data (2001) indicates 29% children overweight or obese (36% in lower SES and 25% in higher SES)


reasons for increasekids are eating more

–a 13% increase in kilojoules

kids are moving less–more TV/computers

–driven everywhere

–sport too competitive


children’s kJ intake

4-8 year-olds

between 1980s & 1995

intake increased by

500-1500 kJ/day

Magarey & Bolton data from Adelaide children’s health study


children’s kJ intake

10-15 year-olds

kilojoules increased by

1400 kJ/day in boys

900 kJ/day in girls

Cook T, Rutishauser I, Seelig M. Comparable data on food, nutrient intake & physical measurements from 1983, 1985, 1995 national nutrition surveys. 2001. Australian Food & Nutrition Monitoring Unit. Canberra


between 1985 & 1995 fruit - decrease in whole fruit vegetables - decrease

(except chips) carbonated drinks – big increase

(48% for boys, 29% for girls) pizza, burgers, pastries, biscuits, noodles –big

increase (46% for boys & girls) sugary products – big increase

(59% for boys, 139% for girls) confectionery – big increase

(56% for boys, 40% for girls)

Cook T, Rutishauser I, Seelig M. Comparable data on food, nutrient intake & physical measurements from 1983, 1985, 1995 national nutrition surveys. 2001. Australian Food & Nutrition Monitoring Unit. Canberra

NO ADS

NO ADSADS

ADS

ADS

ADS

ADS


changes take-away foods ‘normal’

packaged snacks ‘normal’

frequent treats ‘normal’

50% eat in front of TV

TV carries advertising for take-away foods & snacks


options for action

no one strategy will be effective on its own

need multiple strategies


anti-smoking campaigns

needed multiple strategies:

ban on tobacco advertising

changes in workplace practices

changes in media attitudes

overcome interference from industry PR campaigns trying to distort evidence


advertising when advertisements for

tobacco stopped, smoking rates declined (education had little effect)


children & advertising

are they fair game?


children & advertising

up to age 4 ads seen as entertainmentage 6 to 7 believe ads provide informationto age 7–8 can’t distinguish between

information & intent to persuadeby 10–12 can understand motives & aims of

advertising, but most unable to explain sales techniques

sources: Young B (1998), Emulation, Fears and Understanding: A review of recent research on children and television advertising, ITC, London. Kunkel D Children and Advertising A Fair Game? 1994. Ward S., Wackman D. & Wartella E., (1977), How Children Learn to Buy, Beverly Hills CA: Sage, cited in Young B (1998)


what are kids watching?

more food ads per hour than any other country (6-12/hour)

75-80% food ads promote energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods

many ads include promotions for toys & ‘collectibles’ (regulations useless to protect kids)


what are kids watching? few ads for breads, cereals, fruit,

vegetables, dairy products - these are generally shown during adult viewing times

children's ads run at 3 times the pace, use cartoons (25%) animated characters (14%) magic, adventure & violence (50%).

Egberts K, Riley M. Food advertisements during children's and adult's viewing times: a comparative study.

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(Suppl):S60


hours of TV/week

corresponds with requests for foods advertised

children who watch the most TV consume the most kilojoules & are the fattest

Story M. Television and food advertising: An international threat to children? Nutr & Diet 2003; 60:72-73


pester power

73% of children demand advertised products

80% persist with demands when parents say ‘no’

Source: CWS Ltd 2000 Blackmail – the first in a series of inquiries into consumer concerns about the ethics of modern food production and advertising, CWS Ltd Manchester; Sustain 2000 Reaching the parts. Community mapping: working together to tackle social exclusion and food poverty. Sustain London


is there proof?

A systematic review by the UK Food Standards Agency found that advertising does affect food choices and does influence dietary habits

ref: Hastings G et al Systematic Review of Research on the Effects of Food Promotion to Children (2002-2003) available at http://www.food.gov.uk/healthiereating/promotion/

http://www.food.gov.uk/healthiereating/promotion/








is there proof? Children younger than 7 or 8 are unable to recognise advertising’s persuasive intent. The government should put restrictions on marketing to children

American Psychological Association Report 2005, available at http://www.apa.org/releases/childrenads.pdf

http://www.apa.org/releases/childrenads.pdf







is there proof? restricting TV is effective in reducing childhood obesity*

- more time for physical activity

- reduced demand for foods advertised

*Robinson TN. Reducing children's television viewing to prevent obesity: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1999;282(16):1561-7.


opposition to ban- “there is no proof that banning

advertising will decrease obesity”

- “no ads in Norway, Sweden or Quebec, and children are still obese”


response- no one suggests that any single

strategy will decrease obesity

- Norway & Sweden get TV from neighbouring countries

- some effect in Quebec, eg children eat fewer sweetened cereals


Quebec- Quebec has the lowest obesity rates in Canada despite lower rates of physical activity than 10 provinces and territories*

Quebec residents consume more fruits and vegetables than residents of any other province or territory** *Tanuseputro P, Manuel DG, Leung M, Nguyen K, Johansen H. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Canada. Can J Cardiol 2003;19(11):1249-1259.** (Statistics Canada, Dietary practices by sex, household population aged 12 and over, Canada, provinces, territories, health regions and peer groups, 2000/01, Health Indicators, May 2002, Cat. No. 82-221-XIE


support for advertising ban

precedents Australia already bans alcohol

ads until after 9pm Sweden, Norway & Quebec have

shown no adverse effects on children, or on children’s TV programming


opposition to ban

claim of ‘nanny state’

television is the greatest ‘nanny’ in our society

TV ‘nanny’ shows a constant diet of fat, sugar and salt


question to advertisers

if advertising is not a major influence on children’s consumption patterns,

why do food and advertising industries get so upset at

international suggestions to ban it?


question to advertisers

if advertising is not a major influence, how do you sell it to

food companies?

or are food companies given a different message?


changes neededgovernment intervention

restrict advertising to kids tax junk foods & use the

proceeds for nutrition education, including cooking classes, food literacy


marketing to children advertising internet marketing in-school marketing sponsorship product placement sales promotions


internet promotions already occurring

children’s online ‘clubs’ with advertisements, competitions, games (including ones that are supposedly promoting nutrition), prizes


whose responsibility? individual families? schools? food industry? advertising industry? government? NGOs? all the above?

Documents

Obesity in children - effects of advertising Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM