Exposure to unhealthy product advertising: Spatial proximity analysis to schools and socio-economic inequalities in daily exposure measured using Scottish Children's individual-level GPS data.

Jonathan R Olsen,Chris Patterson,Stephen J Mooney,Richard Mitchell,Fiona M Caryl,Shona Hilton,Tony Robertson,Andrew G Rundle

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102535

Abstract

This study aimed to understand socio-spatial inequalities in the placement of unhealthy commodity advertisements at transportation stops within the Central Belt of Scotland and to measure advertisement exposure using children's individual-level mobility data. We found that children who resided within more deprived areas had greater contact with the transport network and also greater exposure to unhealthy food and drink product advertising, compared to those living in less deprived areas. Individual-level mobility data provide evidence that city- or country-wide restrictions to advertising on the transport network might be required to reduce inequalities in children's exposure to unhealthy commodity advertising.

Highlights

Children’s exposure to unhealthy commodity marketing is a global priority for policy action due to its status as a risk factor for the devel opment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (World Health Organi zation, 2016)
There is robust evidence to show that NCDs are patterned by social deprivation (Di Cesare et al, 2013) and that understanding the social patterning of exposure to unhealthy commodity advertisements may be vital to informing policies to reduce health inequalities
Evidence from Australia and New Zealand suggests that areas around schools contain disproportionately frequent advertisements for food high in HFSS (Vandevijvere et al, 2018; Kelly et al, 2008), a phenomenon that may be more pronounced around schools with higher levels of socioeconomic deprivation (D’silva, 2017; Day and Pearce, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

Children’s exposure to unhealthy commodity marketing is a global priority for policy action due to its status as a risk factor for the devel opment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (World Health Organi zation, 2016). The literature on the commercial determinants of health identifies a range of unhealthy commodity industries, those that produce and market alcohol, tobacco and foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) (Kickbusch et al, 2016), but increasingly other health-harming industries such as gambling (Goyder et al, 2020). There is robust evidence to show that NCDs are patterned by social deprivation (Di Cesare et al, 2013) and that understanding the social patterning of exposure to unhealthy commodity advertisements may be vital to informing policies to reduce health inequalities. Evidence from Australia and New Zealand suggests that areas around schools contain disproportionately frequent advertisements for food high in HFSS (Vandevijvere et al, 2018; Kelly et al, 2008), a phenomenon that may be more pronounced around schools with higher levels of socioeconomic deprivation (D’silva, 2017; Day and Pearce, 2011). Some advertisers voluntarily do not advertise within 200m of schools

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Discussion

Conclusion