Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 May 4;18(1):60.
doi: 10.1186/s12966-021-01126-7.

TV advertising and dietary intake in adolescents: a pre- and post- study of Chile's Food Marketing Policy

Melissa L Jensen  1   2   3 , Francesca R Dillman Carpentier  4 , Linda Adair  1 , Camila Corvalán  5 , Barry M Popkin  1   2 , Lindsey Smith Taillie  6   7
Affiliations

TV advertising and dietary intake in adolescents: a pre- and post- study of Chile's Food Marketing Policy

Melissa L Jensen et al. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. .

Abstract

Background: The first phase of a comprehensive marketing policy was implemented in Chile in 2016. The policy restricted child-directed marketing of foods and beverages considered high in energy, total sugars, sodium or saturated fat ("high-in"). The objective of this study was to examine the role of high-in TV food advertising as a mediator in the association between policy implementation and consumption of high-in foods and beverages between 2016 and 2017.

Methods: Dietary data were from 24-hour diet recalls collected in 2016 and 2017 in a cohort of 12-14 y children (n = 721). Television use was assessed concurrently and linked to analyses of food advertisements on broadcast and paid television to derive individual-level estimates of exposure to high-in food advertising. A multilevel mediation analysis examined direct and indirect effects of the policy through advertising exposure.

Results: Following the policy implementation, high-in advertising exposure was significantly reduced (p < 0.01). High-in food intake decreased in adolescents with lower levels, but not higher levels, of high-in advertising at baseline. We did not find evidence of mediation by changes in high-in ad exposure.

Conclusions: Adolescents' exposure to high-in TV advertising decreased after the 2016 implementation of the Chilean Food Labeling and Marketing Law. However, evidence that changes in advertisement mediated dietary changes was not found. Further research is needed to understand how marketing changes will relate to dietary changes after full implementation of the law and in the long term.

Keywords: Food advertising; Food environment; Food marketing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Mediation pathway between policy implementation, advertising exposure and dietary outcomes
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Participants (n = 679; 1,358 observations) consumption of high-in foods pre- and post-policy by baseline levels of high-in TV advertising. Panel a: absolute intake in kcal. Panel b: energy adjusted (% kcal). Estimated using mixed model with individuals as a random effect, adjusting for study covariates. Wald test for interaction (year*baseline ad exposure)* indicates p < 0.05
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Sadeghirad B, Duhaney T, Motaghipisheh S, Campbell N, Johnston B. Influence of unhealthy food and beverage marketing on children’s dietary intake and preference: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Obes Rev. 2016;17:945–59. doi: 10.1111/obr.12445. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Roberto CA, Baik J, Harris JL, Brownell KD. Influence of licensed characters on children’s taste and snack preferences. J Pediatr. 2010;126:88–93. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-3433. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Goris JM, Petersen S, Stamatakis E, Veerman JL. Television food advertising and the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity: a multicountry comparison. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13:1003–12. doi: 10.1017/S1368980009992850. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cairns G, Angus K, Hastings G, Caraher M. Systematic reviews of the evidence on the nature, extent and effects of food marketing to children. A retrospective summary. Appetite. 2013;62:209–15. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2012.04.017. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Institute of Medicine (U.S.) McGinnis JM, Appleton J, Kraak V. Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity. Washington DC: National Academies Press; 2006.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources