Abstract
ObjectiveExposure to food marketing may influence children’s food preferences and consumption patterns and may increase the risk of childhood obesity. The WHO Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has recently released a regional nutrient profile model (WHO EMR) for the purpose of regulating the marketing of food and beverages to children. This study aimed at 1) analyzing the frequency and types of food and drink advertisements during children’s viewing time in Lebanon; 2) examining the nutritional content of the advertised food products in reference to the nutrient thresholds specified by the WHO EMR model; and 3) assessing the proportion of food advertisements that included health messages.DesignThis study consisted of a cross-sectional content analysis of food advertisements on local TV channels, during children’s viewing time.SettingThree local Lebanese channels with the highest viewership among 4- to 14-year-olds were selected. Recorded broadcasts (September 2016 through January 2017) were analyzed between 3 pm and 10 pm on weekdays and between 8 am and 10 pm on weekend days.ResultsApproximately 31% of advertisements were for foods or drinks. The proportion of food advertisements was the highest during children’s programs (43%) compared to general viewing (32%) and parental guidance (29%) programs. Approximately 8 out of 10 food advertisements were for products that did not meet the standards of the WHO EMR model. Of concern was the heavy advertisement of alcoholic beverages during programs for general audiences. The majority of the advertisements that comprised a health claim were for foods that did not meet the WHO EMR’s nutritional standards (79%).ConclusionsThe findings of this study, which is the first to utilize the new WHO EMR profile model, should be viewed as a foundation for the development of food marketing policies aimed at reducing children’s exposure to TV food advertisements in Lebanon, a country that harbors a high burden of childhood obesity.
Highlights
In response to the need to characterize the extent and nature of food and beverage advertisements to children in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), this study aims to 1) analyze the frequency and types of food and drink advertisements during children’s viewing time in Lebanon; 2) examine the nutritional content of the advertised food products in reference to the nutrient thresholds specified by the WHO EMR profile model [3]; and 3) assess the proportion of food advertisements that include health messages and disclaimers
Based on the WHO EMR nutrient profile model, our results showed that approximately 8 out of 10 food advertisements were for foods or drinks that did not meet the nutrition standards set by the model
This study has mapped food advertisements broadcasted during television programs of particular appeal to children and adolescents in Lebanon and showed that approximately 8 out of 10 commercials are for foods that do not meet the nutritional standards set by the WHO EMR. As this may have implications on dietary habits, weight gain, and disease risk later in life, the results of this study should be viewed as a foundation for the development of food marketing policies aimed at reducing children’s exposure to TV food advertisements in Lebanon
Summary
Study design This is a cross-sectional content analysis of food and beverage advertisements broadcasted on local TV channels during children’s viewing time in Lebanon.Because no local Lebanese TV channels are solely dedicated to children’s programs, various local TV channels that offer general programming were selected for this study. Study design This is a cross-sectional content analysis of food and beverage advertisements broadcasted on local TV channels during children’s viewing time in Lebanon. The selection of the local TV channels was based on TV ratings and viewership share data acquired from IPSOS Lebanon, a large market research company that specializes in quantitative and qualitative marketing research, customer satisfaction research, advertising, and media [25, 26]. Viewership data were available for the following age groups: 4–14 years old, 15–24 years old, 25–44 years old, and older than 45. Nutritional quality of foods advertised to children to the 4–14 age group, channels with a viewership share exceeding 20% were included in the study. The viewership shares of the age group 4–14 years for the selected channels were 27%, 21.1%, and 22.9%, respectively
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