Research to Reality: Applying Findings to Practice

Abstract

Powell, L. M., Szczypka, G., Chaloupka, F. J., & Braunschweig, C. L. (2007). Nutritional content of television food advertisements seen by children and adolescents in the United States. Pediatrics, 120(3), 576–583. The purpose of this study was to conduct a largescale assessment of child and adolescent exposure to nutritional television advertising using Neilsen Media Research television ratings. The authors identified the 170 top-rated broadcast network, cable, and syndicated television shows for children (2–11 years old) and adolescents (12–18 years old), and examined every national advertisement aired on those shows over a 9-month period. Excluded from the sample were programs aired on Spanish-language television. Previous literature indicated that television advertising influences food consumption patterns and dietary intake and is associated with adiposity. It is estimated that America’s youth watch, on average, 3 hours and 19 minutes of television per day, and the authors identified 9.5 minutes of product advertising during each hour on television. Children see an average of 18 advertisements for food products per day that are equivalent to 30 seconds each, and teens see 10 per day. The sample included 167,838 product advertisements for children and 182,340 product advertisements for teens. Data analysis focused on advertisements that were food products rather than food-related products, fast-food and non-fast-food restaurants, or other products. Food product advertisements included 50,351 advertisements equivalent to 30 seconds, or 30% of all advertisements for children (2–11 years of age) and 47,955 food product advertisements (18.3%) for adolescent viewers. The nutritional content of these products was analyzed using U.S. Food and Drug Administration serving sizes, nutritional food labeling, or (as a last resort) direct manufacturer information. Food product advertising for child viewing included 451 distinct food brand items. Nutritional analysis indicated the food products advertised for children were