Television Food Advertising and Its’ Role in Childhood Obesity

I have noticed in various articles in the newspaper, TV programs, magazines, and other media sources that there is a major concern for childhood obesity. There is a reality TV program that features Shaquille O’ Neal and his effort in conquering childhood obesity entitled, Shaq’s Big Challenge, and features a team of four boys and two girls that are encouraged to push themselves in order to achieve a healthy weight and lifestyle leading to a new sense of pride and being. This an effort put forth by not only an individual but a professional athlete reaching out to children who are under the umbrella of bad genes, a stagnant lifestyle, and bad eating habits that Shaquille O’ Neal has taken the role in encouraging these kids to live a better and healthier lifestyle . The child obesity statistics are staggering! According to the National Center for Health Statistics and Nutrition Examination Survey the results posted on the American Obesity Association and they are as follows, first by U.S. Children (Ages 6 to 11), U.S. Adolescents (Ages 12 to 19), and finally breaking the two groups according to race.

Table 1

Increase in Obesity Prevalence (%)
Among U.S. Children (Ages 6 to 11) Boys Girls
1999 to 2000 16 14.5
1988 to 1994 11.6 11
1971 to 1974 4.3 3.6
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Ogden et. al. JAMA. 2002;288:1728-1732.

Table 2

Increase in Obesity Prevalence (%)
Among U.S. Adolescents (Ages 12 to 19) Males Females
1999 to 2000 15.5 15.5
1988 to 1994 11.3 9.7
1971 to 1974 6.1 6.2
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Ogden et. al. JAMA. 2002;288:1728-1732.

Table 3

Children
(Ages 6 to 11)
Prevalence (%) Adolescents
(Ages 12 to 19)
Prevalence (%) Race Overweight Obesity Overweight Obesity
Black (Non-Hispanic) 35.9 19.5 40.4 23.6
Mexican American 39.3 23.7 43.8 23.4
White (Non-Hispanic) 26.2 11.8 26.5 12.7
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Ogden et. al. JAMA. 2002;288:1728-1732.

Alarming numbers as listed above encouraged my decision to examine how food advertisements directed towards children has contributed to this heightened pandemic. Asthma, diabetes (type 2), hypertension, orthopedic complications, psychosocial effects and stigma, and sleep apnea are some of the health related effects that are due to obesity and are plaguing people at a much younger age than before (AOA 2005). One particular ailment that strikes close to home is that of diabetes. I have family members that have been plagued by this disease therefore I have witnessed the sacrifices and effects of diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, eight out of ten adolescents fail healthy habits (Sanchez 2007). The study that was conducted of 878 adolescents between ages of 11 to 15 years old and given a physical exam and completed a thorough survey in order to collect information on their physical activity, diet, parental health behaviors, and other personal habits that may exist (Sanchez 2007). The statistics of these surveys and assessments revealed some alarming news about the physical state that the adolescences of the United States are currently looking. More than half of the children that were tested failed to meet the physical guidelines and 30% of them watched more than two hours of television per day (Sanchez 2007). Just below 80% of the children studied had multiple bad habits and a mere 2% of the subjects met all four recommended guidelines to living a healthy life (Sanchez 2007) This just proves that the children of today are living a much too sedentary lifestyle and need to be motivated to move. Type 2 diabetes only accounted for 2%-4% of adolescent diabetes prior to 1992 but in two years, 1994, shot up to 16% and is 12.6 times more likely to occur in obese children rather than non-obese children (AOA 2005). The statistics listed above are enough to get one’s attention but now let us look at some of the contributions that cause these children to settle for a sedentary lifestyle. From experience of taking care of my 5 year old twin niece and nephew the options that are available to them on television exceeds anything that I ever thought imaginable when I was a child. In my day the only time cartoons and or children related programs were televised, this is a memory, were in the morning or after school cartoons. I am sure that they were on more but that is the only time that I remember them being on and I definitely remember the choice of two channels if we were in Victoria and one if we were lucky at my grandmothers out in the country living of Shiner, Tx. If there was nothing to watch on television then I would venture outside to worlds of opportunity; using my imagination was so much fun. I recall make mud pies for my guests at a restaurant or finding a stick that looked like a pistol which would lead to cops and robbers with my siblings. Now my niece and nephew have I believe five choices on basic cable television but depending on the cable package that the parents subscribe could render half if not more of the basic package. Then if there is nothing on television than they have the choice from hundreds of DVDs and can stick it into the DVD player in the car or the house. The choices that they have to make are so difficult. With that observation being stated it now leads to some statistics of television advertisements and the role that it has played in childhood obesity. According to James McNeal, a children’s marketing expert, in the year 2005 advertisers spent a whopping $1.4 billion per month marketing to children-15% more than in 2004 (Elias 2006). Taking notice again in that statistic that is $1.4 billion per MONTH and not year. How I would like to make commission off of one of those advertisers! Research on this topic revealed a number of materials to look over but the most compelling personally, was the largest study ever conducted of TV food advertising to children released by the Kaiser Family Foundation (Kaiser). The Kaiser Family Foundation, according to their website, is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health issues facing the U.S., with a growing role in global health. The study that they released measured advertising content across all programming genres from six o’ clock in the morning to midnight on the top networks that are viewed by children, using a large sample size of 1,638 hours (Gantz et al 2007). This study also combines the data just stated with detailed analyses of children’s actual viewing patterns based on findings from nationally represented studies of greater than 2,000 children ages 8-18, and more than 1,000 parents of children ages 2-7, conducted previously by the Kaiser Family Foundation (Roberts & Foehr, 2004; Roberts & Foehr, 2005). Basically, this means that the researchers of this study are able to measure the amount and nature of advertising content actually seen by children (although we can’t account for whether children leave the room or direct their attention elsewhere during these commercials) (Gantz et al 2007). The methodology of this study takes into account the amount of time children spend watching networks such as PBS and Disney (their advertising policies are substantially different then those from other networks), time spent watching cable versus broadcast, on weekdays vs. weekends, and children’s shows versus other genres (Gantz et al 2007). Another element that this study breaks down and considers an important component of children and their viewing habits is different age groups. The different age groups that are considered in this case are broken down as children ages 2-7, children ages 8-12 and finally children ages 13-17 years old (Gantz et al 2007). The reason that the children are broken down in this manner can be figured through common sense and is the reason in which the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted in this manner because at each of the age levels that are listed the comprehension of each age group is going to differ (Gantz et al 2007). One can conclude that this study carries a lot of extensive research and should be able to expose the effects that children directed television food advertisements contributes to the childhood obesity problem that the United States is facing. By, again, dividing the children in this study into more age appropriate groups it makes it easier to decipher what groups of children are more influenced by the advertisement that is being viewed. Typically across television networks there are three broad categories of products and services that receive at least one minute of advertising time per hour (Gantz 2007). In comparing the percentages of the above categories my guess would be on food advertising to carry the most time used for advertising. My guess is backed by Gantz (2007) reporting that 19% of the time used for advertising is utilized by food advertisements; followed by 14% for media and 13% for travel and entertainment. An even more alarming statistic in relation to food advertisement and children is that half, 50%, of the advertising time on children’s shows are devoted to food. That is a high percentage of advertising in just showcasing food.

“Reviewing evidence about the relationship between food advertising and children’s diets, the IOM (Institute of Medicine) found less compelling evidence regarding the influence of food marketing on older children than it did for children under 12”(Gantz et al 2007). Pondering over the following observation has led me to view it as a sort of Santa Claus theory. Children under the age of 12, I believe, will believe in what they are told and unable to figure all of the logistics that will follow with experience. Leading to various examples of why a television food advertisement would entice children into coaxing their parents into purchasing them. I can recall one commercial which focuses on kids and a certain type of drink box or of the sort and after drinking the product illustrates kids traveling at warped speed all over the place. This message might lead a child under the age of 12 to want to experience it for themselves. When in reality that particular drink box is probably full of sugar containing not an ounce of nutrition content contributing to the obesity factor in children. I also think of a certain fast food chain that usually will acquire a child’s movie characters as the “prize” in their kids’ meal enticing children to collect all five. Granted the parents of these children would have to chaperone them to the restaurant location but the parents might also be enticed because of the convenience that it proposes. There are healthy alternatives to some of these kids’ meals but it is not a full balance of fruits and vegetables needed to live a healthy life. Now looking more closely to actual numbers devoted to the categories of children’s age and the advertisements that they view.
• Children ages two to seven years of age are exposed to a total of 29 hours and 31 minutes of various food and beverage advertisements (Gnatz 2007)
• Children ages eight to twelve years of age are exposed to a total of 50 hours and 48 minutes of various food and beverage advertisements (Gnatz 2007)
• Children ages thirteen to seventeen years of age are exposed to a total of 40 hours and fifty minutes of various food and beverage advertisements (Gnatz 2007)

Those advertisements alone take up a number of hours and minutes of their childhood life being influenced by food and beverage advertisements.

If one will recall there was a reference to commercials that could raise an interest in children for their food and beverage products now it will closely examine the methods used in order to achieve certain responses. According to the Kaiser released study food ads targeting children and teenagers use the taste appeal in luring children (2007). Being a marketing major I pay close attention to advertisements on all scales and the taste appeal I have witnessed in cereals and candy, “burst of fruit flavors” “chocolaty delicious”, to name a couple that will entice the children to these products. The taste appeal is found in 34% of ads targeted towards children (Gnatz 2007). The other appeals that are made to children through advertisement are the fun appeal (18%), premiums and contests (16%), and unique and new (10%)(Gnatz 2007). Premiums and contests that I can remember growing up that I can think of would be Cracker Jacks and their motto; “A prize in every box.” Clearly it can be seen why a child would want this product. There are a numerous amount of gimmicks that are used in order to catch the attention of children and they are fairly simple to persuade this group because they are so innocent.

It is evident with the above information that television food advertisements are encouraging if not assisting to the problem of childhood obesity let us take a look a measures in order to stop this pandemic that is plaguing our nations youth. It is suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics that pediatricians should lobby for a ban or severe curtailment on school-based ads, and Congress should prohibit commercials for “junk food” on TV programs watched by mostly young children (Elias 2006). Recall the number of hours that were previously listed that stated the number of hours of advertisements directed towards children and their various age groups…Congress and the Federal Communications Commission is now looking at a policy that will limit the commercials on children’s TV to five or six minutes an hour, reducing them by 50% of what is now allowed (Elias 2006). I feel that this is a viable solution that could help reduce the rate of childhood obesity. Groups from the ad industry have started to volunteer steps to strengthen their own guidelines on ads to children in order to promote healthier choices that are available in the market. I would like to think these guidelines lead to creating advertisements that appeal to children through the same measures as listed above. Instead of tastes like it should focus more of a real child indulging in the goodness of a fresh apple.

I felt that this topic poses a very important concern in the advertising field and plays an detrimental to the future health of our nations youth. It is time that advertisers start exuding some responsibility in the contribution of this pandemic. I know that the biggest argument held by many is that it is the parents’ responsibility to monitor these things but as many people know it takes both parents working in order to make things work; leading to the responsibility that needs to be placed on the advertiser in order to protect their viewer’s health.

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References:

American Diabetes Association (2007). Eight of Ten Adolescents Fail Healthy Habits. Patterns and correlates of physical activity and nutrition behaviors in adolescents, by A. Sanchez and colleagues. Am J Prev Med 32: 124-130, 2007. www.diabetes.org/diabetes-research/summaries/Sanchez-eight-of-ten-adolescents-fail.jsp

American Obesity Association (2005). AOA Fact Sheets. http://obesity1.tempdomainname.com/subs/fastfacts/obesity_youth.shtml

Elias, Marilyn (2006). Pediatricians call for less advertising to children. USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-12-03-pediatricians-ads_x.htm
Gantz, Walter (2007). Food for Thought: Television Advertising to Children in the United States. A Kaiser Family Foundation Report. March 2007. http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/7618.pdf

References: American Diabetes Association (2007). Eight of Ten Adolescents Fail Healthy Habits. Patterns and correlates of physical activity and nutrition behaviors in adolescents, by A. Sanchez and colleagues. Am J Prev Med 32: 124-130, 2007. www.diabetes.org/diabetes-research/summaries/Sanchez-eight-of-ten-adolescents-fail.jsp American Obesity Association (2005). AOA Fact Sheets. http://obesity1.tempdomainname.com/subs/fastfacts/obesity_youth.shtml Elias, Marilyn (2006). Pediatricians call for less advertising to children. USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-12-03-pediatricians-ads_x.htm Gantz, Walter (2007). Food for Thought: Television Advertising to Children in the United States. A Kaiser Family Foundation Report. March 2007. http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/7618.pdf