Nutrition and Media

Food Advertisements and Commercial Marketing

Americans see tens of thousands of food advertisements every year. The majority of these advertisements promote unhealthy foods and beverages. In 1997, food companies reportedly spent $11 billion dollars on advertising alone. The large amount of food advertising and commercial marketing in the media influences eating and shopping behaviors in children and adults.

Evidence exists that commercial food marketing can decrease elementary school children's ability to differentiate healthful products from nonhealth-ful ones. Commercial food marketing also impacts children's food preferences; a number of studies have shown that food advertising influences children's food selection, either in school or at the grocery store.

Children's food preferences, molded by advertising, influence the purchasing and eating habits of their family. Research has shown that the amount of time a child spends watching television is a predictor of how often they request a food at the grocery store.

Food content in television shows and movies can also have an impact on adult and child eating behavior. High calorie–low nutrient food choices are much more likely to be advertised on television and in the movies, encouraging consumers to eat a diet that contributes to diabetes and obesity. One study found that foods high in fat and sugar are disproportionately shown over fruits and vegetables in high-grossing films.

Media and Body Image

The media greatly influence American norms around physical attractiveness. Obese or overweight television characters tend to be portrayed as unpopular and unsuccessful, while thin characters are portrayed as having positive characteristics. There are fewer overweight and obese characters on television than exist in real life, and nearly a third of women on television are underweight. Although researchers have not found a direct association between television viewing and eating disorders, studies have shown that increased exposure to media is associated with higher levels of body dissatisfaction.

Social Marketing

Using techniques such as market research, product positioning, pricing, physical distribution, and promotion, social marketing programs seek to influence nutrition behavior to improve individual health.

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