Media Effects on Health
Smoking, Alcohol and Other Drugs
Anti-Ads
and Public Service Announcements
Over Eating & Obesity
Food Consumption
Trends for Children and Teens, 1977-2002
Most food advertisements are for:
- Breakfast cereals high in sugar
- Soft drinks
- Sweets and other snacks
- Fast food
Measured Advertising
Dollars for Selected Soda, Snack, and Candy Bars (2004)
Top-spending food advertisers:
1. McDonald's
2. Coca-cola (regular)
3. Kentucky Fried Chicken
4. Burger King
5. Pizza Hut
6. Diet Coca-cola
7. Kit-Kat
8. Weetabix
9. Kellogg's Corn Flakes
Measured Advertising
Dollars for Food, Beverages, Candy and Restuarants (2004)
Specific Research:
- Kids who watch more TV eat fewer fruit and vegetables.
- Children under the age of eight are unable to critically
comprehend televised advertising messages and are prone to accept advertiser
messages as truthful, accurate and unbiased.
- TV food ads did affect the short-term and long-term food
preference of children, yet parental eating habits were much more influential
than commercials in determining a child's diet.
- By reducing time spent with media, children's weight dropped.
- Pester Power: "…advertising encourages
children to choose unhealthy foods and to pester their parents for them."
Eating Disorders & Body Image
Thin
Runway Models
Desire
to Change Body
Dove
Campaign for Real Beauty