Download - Monique Potvin Kent PhD Institute of Population Health University of Ottawa Ottawa, ON, Canada
Food and Beverage Marketing Directed at Children in Canada and in Quebec: An
Update on the Evidence
Monique Potvin Kent PhDInstitute of Population Health
University of Ottawa Ottawa, ON, Canada
May 4, 2011
The Relationship Between Obesity, Food Intake and Food Marketing
in Children
• Commercial food advertising aimed at children directly affects: Food preferences Short term
consumption patterns Food purchase
requests• Associated with obesity
Childhood Obesity in Canada
Children’s Food Intake in Canada• Food intake of Canadian children does not meet nutritional
guidelines (4-18 year olds) Fruit, vegetable and milk consumption Snacks = 27% of daily food intake 22% of calories consumed from foods not recommended
Policy Context
Canada
• Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children and its Code Interpretation Guidelines
• Station-specific policies
• Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative
Quebec
• Consumer Protection Act Bans commercial
advertising of products exclusively designed for children or that appeal to children under 13 years
Applies when children consist of 15% of audience
Advertisement Directed at Children Under 13 years
Advertisement Not Directed at Children under 13 Years
Research in Canada/Quebec on Children’s Exposure to Food Marketing
on Television
Canada Kelly et al. (2010) Adams et al. (2009) Adams et al. (2009b)
Quebec Laperrière (2009) Lebel (2005)
High level of food advertising Ontario 3 food ads/hour/channelQuebec 4 food ads/hour/channelAlberta 7 food ads/hour/channel
Nutritional quality is poor
Main Objective
• to examine the influence of two methods of regulating advertising to children: Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative Consumer Protection Act
Research Questions
Methods
Methods Content Analysis (Studies 1,2,3)
• Type and length• Type of food or beverage• Target audience (Study 1)• Use of media characters (Studies 1 and 3)
Nutritional analysis of all food promotions (Studies 2,3)• Macronutrients • According to recommendations• Categorization according to the U.K. Nutrient Profile Model
Classification of each advertisement by CAI/non-CAI (Study 3)
Frequency of Food/Beverage Promotions by Province/Language (n)
* p < .05
Target Audience (%) of Food and Beverage Advertisements
44.4
17.6
57.665
30.3
76.2
32.5
18.531.1
56.4
88.2
43
Ontario English Quebec French Quebec English
Preschool Children Teens Adults
Media Characters (%) in Food and Beverage Advertisements
Frequency of Advertised Food/Beverages by Food Category (n)
* p < .01
Most Frequently Advertised Food Categories by Group
Ontario English Quebec French Quebec EnglishCandy, gum, fruit rolls (23%)
Yogurt drinks (15%) Candy, gum, fruit rolls (25%)
Cold cereal (11%) Yogurt (15%) Milk (12%)
Fast food restaurants (10%)
Candy, gum, fruit rolls (12%)
Fast food restaurants (9%)
Milk (9%) Fast food restaurants (9%) Prepared foods (8%)
Prepared foods (8%) Cheese, cheese sticks (7%)
Granola bars and cereal bars (8%)
Average Nutrients per 100 g of Advertised Food/Beverages
* p > .001
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Ontario English Quebec French Quebec English
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Healthfulness of Food/Beverage Ads by Province/Language Groups (%)
89.881.0
96.6
High Fat, Sugar or Sodium*
Recommended Nutrient Cut-offs
Ontario English Quebec French
68.360.6
68.9
Less Healthy*
UK Nutrient Profile Model
Quebec English* p < .001
Results Study 3: Food and Beverage Promotions by CAI and non-CAI (n) (99.5 hrs)
* p < .01
Repeat Promotions during 87.5 hrs
CAI Non-CAI
Product/BrandNo. of Repeats Product/Brand
No. of Repeats
Candy and snacks
Oreo Cookies 12 Baby Bottle Pop 13
Gushers Fruit Snacks 11 Ring Pop 13
Hubba Bubba products 15
Hubba Bubba Glop 18
Rice Krispies Squares Bars 18
Sponge Bob Fruit Snacks 28
Beverages Yoplait Yop 10
Restaurants McDonald’s: Happy Meal 32 Chuck E Cheese 11
Dairy Cheestrings 17 Milk 36
Prepared Foods
Kraft Dinner Original 33
Results: Presence of Media Characters (n)
* p < .001
87.5 hrs children’s stations
Promoted Foods and Beverages by Food Category (%) (99.5 hrs)
CAI Non-CAI
* p < .001
Average Nutrients Per 100g of Food/Beverages
* p < .01
Healthfulness of Food/Beverage Promotions Classified by UK Nutrient Profile Model (%)
* p < .001
Policy Implications: Quebec
POLICY INFLUENCE LACK OF INFLUENCE
Consumer Protection Act
•Fewer contests and sponsorship announcements
•More beverages, fewer candy/snacks, and breakfast cereals
•Children targeted less often
•Media characters used less often
•French Quebec’s children’s exposure to advertisements
•The healthfulness of food promotions
•Not protecting English Quebec children
Policy Implications: Canada
POLICY INFLUENCE LACK OF INFLUENCE
Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CAI)
•Some corporations are not advertising to children (n= 4)
•Little use of licensed characters
CAI is responsible for significantly more:
•Food promotions•Repetition•Media characters
•Foods higher in fats, sugar, sodium, energy•Greater number classified as “less healthy”
Policy Recommendations: Canada
• Federal statutory regulation that restricts “unhealthy” food and beverages in all media forms and child settings Broad definitions of:
Children Marketing Unhealthy food
• Systematic monitoring and enforcement
Policy Recommendations: Quebec
• Improved monitoring• Improved enforcement• Child viewing times need to be updated• Need to consider extending
the Consumer Protection Act to restrict all “unhealthy food” advertisements regardless of whether “child directed”
Acknowledgements
The children and parents who participated in these research studies, and
Questions
Results Study 3:Profile of Corporations during 99.5 hrs
CAI (N=13) Non-CAI (N=35)
Corporation type 13 multinational 28 multinational6 Canadian1 American
Manufacturing type 12 food and/or beverage mfr1 restaurant
15 food and/or beverage mfr12 restaurants5 alcoholic beverage mfr/bottler3 industry associations
Top 100 ranking 13 (100%) corporations 15 (43%) corporations
Average length of ad 21.3 seconds 18.6 seconds