Ultra-processed food and beverage advertising on Brazilian television by International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-Communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support benchmark.

Julia Soares Guimarães,Fernanda Helena Marrocos Leite,Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins,Laís Amaral Mais,Rafael Moreira Claro,Paula Martins Horta,Marina Oliveira Santana

doi:10.1017/s1368980020000518

Julia Soares Guimarães, Fernanda Helena Marrocos Leite + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980020000518

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Abstract

To analyse the extent and nature of food and beverage advertising on the three major Brazilian free-to-air television (TV) channels. Cross-sectional study. A protocol developed for the International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-Communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support was applied for data collection. A total of 432 h of TV programming was recorded from 06.00 to 24.00 hours, for eight non-consecutive and randomly selected days, in April 2018. All TV advertisements (ads) were analysed, and food-related ads were classified according to the NOVA classification system. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the number and type of ads, food categories and the distribution of ads throughout the day and time of the day. The three most popular free-to-air channels on Brazilian TV. The study did not involve human subjects. In total, 14·2 % (n 1156 out of 7991) of ads were food related (858 were specific food items). Approximately 91 % of food items ads included ultra-processed food (UPF) products. The top three most promoted products were soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and fast-food meals. Alcoholic beverage ads were more frequently broadcast in the evening. The high risk of exposure of the Brazilian population to UPF ads should be considered a public health concern given the impact of unhealthy food advertising on people's food choices and health.

Highlights

The aim of this study was to analyse the extent and nature of food and beverage advertising on the three most popular free-to-air channels on Brazilian TV by applying, for the first time, the INFORMAS protocol[15], setting a baseline for food and beverage advertising surveillance in Brazil. This was a cross-sectional study based on the Food Marketing: Television protocol developed by INFORMAS[12,15]
The absolute and relative frequency of ads belonging to each type and to each food group and subgroup was estimated in each study unit
Food and drink ads were more frequent during the weekend (13·2 %) than weekdays (10·4 %) (Table 1)

Summary

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study based on the Food Marketing: Television protocol developed by INFORMAS[12,15]. The variables investigated included channel, date of recording, day of the week or weekend, time slot (hour slot, eighteen slots), start and end time of ad, ad type (classified into eight different types as described elsewhere[15]), brand/company name, product name and description, and food category (using the NOVA system). The absolute and relative frequency of ads belonging to each type (according to the INFORMAS protocol) and to each food group and subgroup was estimated in each study unit. Absolute number and the proportion (and respective SE and 95 % CI) of each type of ad (on total ads) were estimated This procedure was repeated for each group and subgroup of food-related ads. Both analyses were conducted for total sample and stratified for weekdays and weekends, and according to the time of the day (morning, afternoon or night). Differences between values were considered statistically significant when the 95 % CI did not overlap

Results

Discussion

29. IBOPE – Instituto Brasileiro de Opinião Pública e