Among these studies, eleven demonstrated an association between advertising and children’s purchase requests. A review of twelve studies examined pestering across different settings and countries, including the USA, England, India and Saudi Arabia ( Reference McDermott, O’Sullivan and Stead 15 ). Marketing may also result in increased pestering by children. Furthermore, a recent economic analysis by the McKinsey Global Institute identified media restriction, namely restriction of high-energy food advertising, as an important approach for a multifaceted solution to obesity ( Reference Dobbs, Sawers and Thompson 14 ). In fact, in 2010, the WHO released a set of recommendations to restrict marketing of foods high in saturated fat, trans-fat, added sugar or salt to children ( 13 ). Additional mechanisms for marketing to children extend to the school environment as well as Internet and social media realms ( Reference Story and French 10, Reference Rito, Purnell and Gwozdz 11 ).Īdvertising to children is worrisome due to the strong body of evidence demonstrating that marketing exposure has a negative impact on diet and weight ( Reference McGinnis, Gootman and Kraak 1, Reference Cairns, Angus and Hastings 12 ). One large multi-country study documented more than 12000 TV advertisements for food on popular children’s channels and found the most common advertisements were for fast foods (12 %) and candy (12 %) ( Reference Kelly, Halford and Boyland 7 ). Meanwhile, TV advertisements for food during children’s programming are often for unhealthy food items ( Reference Kelly, Halford and Boyland 7 – Reference Romero-Fernandez, Royo-Bordonada and Rodriguez-Artalejo 9 ). Previous research from several countries has found children’s products in supermarkets to be high in sugar and/or fat ( Reference Harris, Schwartz and Brownell 4 – Reference Lythgoe, Roberts and Madden 6 ). A recent review of experimental studies involving children’s mascots and licensed characters found high rates of recognition for popular characters and a greater likelihood of choosing foods presented with familiar characters ( Reference Kraak and Story 3 ). Companies may actively target children through television (TV) commercials, online marketing campaigns or front-of-package labelling – often with the use of cartoon or celebrity sponsorship. Research from a large multinational database of children aged 9–14 years showed that brand loyalty increases from the age of 10 years, creating an incentive for companies to attract young customers ( Reference McDougall and Chantrey 2 ). The ‘ability children have to badger their parents into purchasing items they would otherwise not buy’ is known as ‘pester power’ ( Reference McGinnis, Gootman and Kraak 1 ).Īs children’s role in household purchases has increased, the marketing industry has responded by developing strategies directed at children. The latter can be achieved through persistent pestering or nagging by children. This may take the form of children’s own spending and, at younger ages, their influence over adults’ spending. One source of excess energy may come from children’s increased purchasing power in today’s consumer culture. Childhood obesity is a growing global public health problem.
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