Food Marketing Aimed at Kids Influences Poor Nutritional Choices

[SOURCE: Institute of Medicine of the National Academies press release]
Food and beverage marketing targeted to children ages 12 and under leads them to request and consume high-calorie, low-nutrient products, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. The report offers the most comprehensive review to date of the scientific evidence on the influence of food marketing on diets of children and youth. If voluntary efforts by industry fail to successfully shift the emphasis of television advertising during children's programming away from high-calorie, low-nutrient products to healthier fare, Congress should enact legislation to mandate this change on both broadcast and cable television. The committee found strong evidence that television advertising influences the food and beverage preferences and purchase requests of children ages 2 through 11 years old and affects their consumption habits, at least over the short term. Most advertising geared toward children promotes high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, beverages, and meals, which, the committee concluded, influences children to request and choose these products. There is not enough evidence to determine the extent to which marketing influences the preferences and consumption habits of 12- to 18-year-olds; too few studies have focused on teens. The evidence on whether television advertising directly affects children's long-term dietary patterns is limited and less conclusive. Available studies are too limited to determine whether television advertising is a direct cause of obesity among children. However, the statistical association between ad viewing and obesity is strong. Even a small influence would amount to a substantial impact when spread across the entire population, the report notes.
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309097134?OpenDocument

* Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11514.html
Links to coverage of the report:

* TV Ads Entice Kids To Overeat, Study Finds
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120600671.html
(requires registration)

* Panel Faults Food Packaging For Kid Obesity
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113387976454515095.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace
(requires subscription)

* Federal Advisory Group Calls for Change in Food Marketing to Children
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/07/business/media/07kids.html?pagewanted=all

* Congress Told To Pressure Kids' Advertisers
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6289305?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)

* Study: Kids Food Ads Must Change
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6290437?display=News&referral=SUPP