TV Food Research Articles

The Relationship between TV Viewing and Food Intake and BMI in Preschool Children

The Relationship between TV Viewing and Food Intake and BMI in Preschool Children

Food and translation, translation and food

Food, the cornerstone of life, lies at the heart of our cultural identity. Vital for our health and well-being, our awareness of its economic, cultural and social significance - how the language of food and related practices travel across languages and cultures cannot be disregarded. Despite a rapidly expanding market for translation of food related texts: cookery books and TV programmes, magazines and food labels, to name just a few, and despite fast-pace evolving eating habits and phenomena, the relationship between food, culture and translation remains under-researched. By bringing these issues to light, this special issue aims to be a truly interdisciplinary reference work that brings together expert scholars writing on food related topics from a translational and intercultural perspective.

Tv food advertising geared to children in Latin-American countries and Hispanics in the USA: a review.

Obesity is a pandemic disease in Latin America. The purpose of this review was to analyze the studies exploring food advertising in TV conducted in Latin-American countries and in the USA geared to Hispanics. An electronic literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, SCIELO, and CINAHL, databases and open access internet, of food advertising directed to children in TV in Latin American countries and Hispanics living in the USA, published from 1985 to January, 2015 RESULTS: Twenty three studies were found, six were conducted in Chile, five in Mexico, four in Brazil, three among Hispanics in the USA, and one in each of the following countries: Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Honduras and Venezuela. A high exposure of TV food advertised is geared toward children and their family. This exposure has been shown to be associated with the preference and purchase of those foods by adults and children with a high BMI, overweight and obesity. An alarming high exposure of the TV food advertised directed toward children was reported, which warrants effective regulations, supervision and accountability.

Nigellissima: a study of glamour, performativity and embodiment

This is a study of glamour, its complexities and its relationship with and role within celebrity culture. We explore glamour in the context of Nigella, the London-born TV cook, food writer and self-proclaimed ‘domestic goddess’ of British culinary culture. In our study we consider the interconnections between glamour, specifically Italian-style retro-glamour, and performativity in Nigella’s career. We also address the role of embodiment and authenticity in the masquerade of femininity. Our analysis focuses on Nigella’s glamour over time, considering its creation, enactment and reaffirmation following scandal. We conclude by speculating on glamour’s complex and ambivalent relationship with celebrity culture, and the role of vulnerability in creating authentic and enduring glamour in contemporary consumer society.

Exploring the association between television advertising of healthy and unhealthy foods, self-control, and food intake in three European countries.

Building upon previous results, the present study explored the relationship between exposure to unhealthy and healthy food TV commercials, trait self-control, and food intake. In total, 825 Finns (53% female), 1,055 Germans (55% female), and 971 Romanians (55% female) aged 8-21 reported advertisement exposure, self-control, and food intake. Altogether, participants indicated higher exposure to unhealthy compared to healthy food advertisements (F(1, 2848) = 354.73, p < .001, partial η(2) = .111). Unhealthy food advertisement exposure was positively associated with unhealthy food intake (all β ≥ .16, p < .001). Healthy food advertisement exposure was positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption (β = .10, p < .001). Self-control was associated with higher consumption of healthy (β ≥ .09, p < .001) and lower consumption of unhealthy foods (all β ≥ -.11, p < .001). Yet, findings of advertising and self-control were mainly independent (interactions: β ≤ |.07|, p ≥ .002). Even though the results suggest that healthy advertisement exposure and self-control might be beneficial for children's and adolescents' diet, self-control might be insufficient to alleviate the positive relationship between unhealthy food advertising and unhealthy eating.

TV food advertising aimed at children: qualitative study of Pakistani fathers’ views

Purpose – There is plethora of advertising research that has highlighted the mothers’ perspective to TV food advertising. However, the fathers’ perspective on children food advertising in societies that score high on masculinity is important but absent from literature. The purpose of this paper is to present opinions of respondents as fathers, concerning the impact of TV food advertisements on children buying and consumption habits. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative data through semi-structured interviews has been collected from 32 males having at least one child between the ages of seven and 14 years. The respondents were purposefully selected from a private sector university located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The collected data have been analysed through thematic analysis. Findings – Thematic analysis revealed six themes; quantity of ads, negative impact of TV food ads, changing buying patterns, positive/productive impact on children, father's perceptions of TV advertising, and advertising changes to be incorporated. The findings have some social, cultural, and managerial implications for core advertising stakeholders. Practical implications – This study is useful for marketing managers whose job is to persuade children and their families into buying their products. They can benefit from the findings of this study to customize the brand communication strategies as per the expectations of respondents as fathers. Furthermore, the study proposes useful insights that will help in devising consumer-led advertising policies in Pakistan. Originality/value – The gender role of males while influencing family decision making with regards to food products marketing has been a new area of research. The study is pioneer in the field of consumer socialization in that it focuses upon the fathers’ perspective on TV advertising to children.

Reducing childhood obesity through U.S. federal policy: a microsimulation analysis.

Childhood obesity prevalence remains high in the U.S., especially among racial/ethnic minorities and low-income populations. Federal policy is important in improving public health given its broad reach. Information is needed about federal policies that could reduce childhood obesity rates and by how much. To estimate the impact of three federal policies on childhood obesity prevalence in 2032, after 20 years of implementation. Criteria were used to select the three following policies to reduce childhood obesity from 26 recommended policies: afterschool physical activity programs, a $0.01/ounce sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) excise tax, and a ban on child-directed fast food TV advertising. For each policy, the literature was reviewed from January 2000 through July 2012 to find evidence of effectiveness and create average effect sizes. In 2012, a Markov microsimulation model estimated each policy's impact on diet or physical activity, and then BMI, in a simulated school-aged population in 2032. The microsimulation predicted that afterschool physical activity programs would reduce obesity the most among children aged 6-12 years (1.8 percentage points) and the advertising ban would reduce obesity the least (0.9 percentage points). The SSB excise tax would reduce obesity the most among adolescents aged 13-18 years (2.4 percentage points). All three policies would reduce obesity more among blacks and Hispanics than whites, with the SSB excise tax reducing obesity disparities the most. All three policies would reduce childhood obesity prevalence by 2032. However, a national $0.01/ounce SSB excise tax is the best option.

Tolstoy in a recipe

Purpose– The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the impact of global celebrity chefs and their discourse about food on the genre of cookbooks in Slovenia.Design/methodology/approach– Focusing this discourse study on cookbook topics only, the analysis demonstrates the relationship between the aspirations of local celebrity chefs for the food culture represented globally by global celebrity chefs, such as Oliver, and the necessity for a local construction of specific tastes. While the central genre of TV celebrity chefs remains TV cooking shows, their businesses include a number of side products, such as cookbooks, which can be seen as recontexualisations of TV food discourse.Findings– Hence, despite this study being limited to analysis of cookbooks only, it can be claimed that the findings extend to other genres. The analysis shows that local chefs aspire to follow current trends, such as an emphasis on the local and sustainable production of food as well as enjoyment and pleasure in the form of a postmodern hybrid genre, while, on the other hand, they strive to include topics that will resonate locally, as they aim to represent themselves as the “new middle class”.Originality/value– Such an analysis brings new insights into the relationship between discourse and globalisation as well as discourse and food.

Television as a trattoria: Constructing the woman in the kitchen on Italian food shows

This article analyses the gender issues raised by the representation of the woman in the kitchen on Italian food TV. In Italy, food and women have always been constructed as a whole, but today this model seems to be redundant. Controversial postfeminist readings of Nigella’s cooking shows and Williams’ categories of dominant, emergent and residual help investigate, in a constructivist sense, how Italian TV deals with this social change. Through qualitative, semiotic and gender analyses, the article focuses on three Italian food shows broadcast at noon. Results show that the three programmes mediate the role of the woman, drawing on the model of trattorie, traditional Italian restaurants in which the women cook and the men serve the tables. This negotiation helps balance gender relations without revolutionary outcomes. In fact, at the same time, it modernises the old model of the housewife and does not move the woman out of the kitchen.

Heterogeneity in TV Fast Food Advertisement Exposure in South Korea

To assess TV fast food ad exposure in South Korea. We assessed time trends of targeted ratings (licensed from Nielsen Media Research Korea) by household income and education during 2004-2010. Lower income groups saw more fast food TV ads during the study period. Exposure decreased in all income groups with a bigger income gap in 2010 than in 2004. The relative exposure to local fried chicken franchise TV ads surged from one fifth in 2004 to half of all TV fast food ads seen in 2010 in all socioeconomic status (SES). Future studies should assess the link between TV fast ood ad exposure, an important contextual factor for individual food choices, and actual consumption.

TV food advertisements' effect on food consumption and adiposity among women and children in Mexico.

The objective of the study was to assess the association between TV foods advertisements and the ones consumed by mothers and children, and the body weight of both mother and child, among population from different SES in two Mexican cities. During June through October 2011 in Tijuana and Tuxtla Gutierrez, two national broadcasted channels were recorded during a period of 5 h in the afternoon on working days. Direct interviews were conducted to explore the foods consumed by mothers and their children from January to July 2012. To identify the difference in the number of hours of TV watching, number of TV sets, and the number of advertisements they recalled, a one-way ANOVA was used. An association was observed between the consumption of advertised foods by mothers and the frequency of broadcasted advertising. It was also observed that there was an association between the hours watching TV and BMI of the mothers and BMI Z-score of their children. There was an association between BMI of the mothers and their children and time spent watching TV. The high exposure to TV food advertisements in Mexico may increase the odds for having childhood obesity.

Content Analysis of Food Advertising Directed at Korean Children

Children have become the target of intense and specialized food advertising efforts. This study examines the content of TV food advertising and discussed possible concerns from the perspective of children. A total of 102 ads were collected from two cable networks aimed at children. Most of the food ads used emotional appeals and did not provide information clues such as nutrition values. Ads with high sales pressure and celebrity endorsements appeared frequently and the ads for snack foods and high-carbohydrate bakery products were dominant. Understanding food ads can be a significant indicator to establish the orientation of consumer ad education and build educational programs appropriate for children. The issue that appears conspicuous in child targeted advertising and marketing is the childhood obesity and food advertising relation; subsequently, there is a need to evolve advertising that targets children into a positive educational information source.

Trends in exposure to television food advertisements in South Korea

Given the increased concern about the impact of TV food advertisements (ads) on individual food choices, we provide important evidence on TV food ad exposure between 2004 and 2009 in South Korea. We used monthly targeted ratings data by age group as the number of ads seen daily from Korean Nielsen Media Research. We generated six food groups: beverages (milk, soda, fruit drinks, sports/energy drinks, water, coffee/tea products, and other); snacks/sweets (cookies/chips, candy, and chewing gum); fast food (Domino’s pizza, Lotteria, McDonald’s, Mr. Pizza, Pizza Hut, local chicken and pizza franchises, and other); instant noodle; full-service restaurants; and other. From 2004 to 2009, overall exposure to television food ads fell by 19.0% (from 6.8 to 5.5 ads daily), although exposure to full-service restaurant ads increased over that time period by 45.7%. While fast-food ad exposure fell overall, exposure to ads for local fried chicken franchises nearly doubled, making them the most commonly seen fast-food ads by 2009. Fast-food and instant noodle ads made up larger proportions of total ad exposure in 2009 than in 2004 in all age groups, with the largest increase among adolescents. Beverage ads continue to be the most prevalent food ads seen in South Korea. Differential trends found in exposure across and within food product categories and differences by age groups highlight the need for continued monitoring to help inform the regulatory policy debate on food advertising, particularly with regards to ads directed at children and adolescents.

Mothers’ perceptions of the negative impact on TV food ads on children’s food choices

This exploratory study investigates the opinions of mothers who have at least one child between the ages of 7 and 12 in terms of the impact of TV food advertising on their children. This research also examines whether there is any third person effect active in mothers’ opinions of TV food advertising aimed at children by asking them about both the impact on their own children, and the children of strangers. The results reveal that most mothers in the study have generally negative attitudes toward TV food advertising aimed at children, but they believe that the children of strangers are more negatively impacted by exposure to the ads than their own children.

Prevalencia de obesidad infantil en España: Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2006-2007

Introduction: Childhood Obesity has become a Public Health priority due to it high prevalence and consequences in health status. Objective: To estimate prevalence of obesity in the children included in the National Health Survey of 2006-2007 and to determine its association with socioeconomic position and other socio-demographic variables. Methods: Cross-sectional study using data available from 6,139 Spanish children between 2-15 years old, included in the National Health Survey. Parents or guardians reported weight and height to estimate obesity prevalence according to the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs for body mass index. Results: Obesity prevalence was 10,3% and overweight prevalence was 18,8%. Obesity was more prevalent in children from 4-5 years age (18,3%) and overweight in the 8-9 years stratus (25,5%). Overweight was more frequent in boys than girls (19,8% versus 17,8%; p = 0,04). Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, Valencia and Andalusia were the Autonomous Communities with higher obesity prevalence in contrast with the Basque Country, Galicia and Madrid which showed the lowest prevalence. This distribution generates a north to south gradient in obesity prevalence. Both, obesity and overweight showed an inverse association with socioeconomic position (p < 0,05). Conclusion: Childhood obesity rates in Spain accounts from ones of the highest in Europe, with a strong geographic and socioeconomic gradient. Priority should be given to effective interventions that can reach the most vulnerable groups as identified in this study, like restrictions on TV food advertising and tax reliefs to promote healthy eating.

Prevalence of childhood obesity in Spain: National Health Survey 2006-2007.

Childhood Obesity has become a Public Health priority due to it high prevalence and consequences in health status. To estimate prevalence of obesity in the children included in the National Health Survey of 2006-2007 and to determine its association with socioeconomic position and other socio-demographic variables. Cross-sectional study using data available from 6,139 Spanish children between 2-15 years old, included in the National Health Survey. Parents or guardians reported weight and height to estimate obesity prevalence according to the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs for body mass index. Obesity prevalence was 10,3% and overweight prevalence was 18,8%. Obesity was more prevalent in children from 4-5 years age (18,3%) and overweight in the 8-9 years stratus (25,5%). Overweight was more frequent in boys than girls (19,8% versus 17,8%; p = 0,04). Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, Valencia and Andalusia were the Autonomous Communities with higher obesity prevalence in contrast with the Basque Country, Galicia and Madrid which showed the lowest prevalence. This distribution generates a north to south gradient in obesity prevalence. Both, obesity and overweight showed an inverse association with socioeconomic position (p < 0,05). Childhood obesity rates in Spain accounts from ones of the highest in Europe, with a strong geographic and socioeconomic gradient. Priority should be given to effective interventions that can reach the most vulnerable groups as identified in this study, like restrictions on TV food advertising and tax reliefs to promote healthy eating.

Adolescent Weight Status and Receptivity to Food TV Advertisements

Objective This study examined the relationship between adolescent weight status and food advertisement receptivity. Design Survey-based evaluation with data collected at baseline (initial and at 2 months), and at follow-up (11 months). Setting New Hampshire and Vermont. Participants Students (n = 2,281) aged 10-13 in 2002-2005. Main Outcome Measure Overweight. Analysis Generalized estimating equations to model the relationship between identifying a food advertisement as their favorite and being overweight. Results Overall, 35.9% of the adolescents were overweight. Less than one fifth named a food advertisement as their favorite (16.1%). Most of the food advertisements were for less-healthful food (89.6%). After controlling for school, age, sex, sociodemographics, physical activity, number of TV sessions watched, and having a TV in the bedroom, overweight adolescents were significantly less likely to be receptive to food advertisements (relative risk = 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.70, 0.98) compared to non-overweight adolescents. Conclusions and Implications This study provides preliminary evidence that normal-weight adolescents are receptive to unhealthful food advertisements. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate whether consistent exposure to advertisements for unhealthful food, particularly if they are promoted with healthful behaviors such as being physically active, influence adolescents’ food choices, and ultimately their body mass index, over the long term.

Watching TV food commercials increases food consumption of snacks, but not meals

Watching TV food commercials increases food consumption of snacks, but not meals

Cost effectiveness of restricting TV food ads targeting children

Cost effectiveness of restricting TV food ads targeting children

Comparative Effectiveness of Executional Elements in TV Food Advertising on Recall and Persuasion

Worldwide food advertising has certain common elements such as the role that executional elements play in affecting the success of commercials. This study will examine the impact of a variety of executional elements on both recall and persuasion for 15-second and 30-second television advertising. The data was collected by well known advertising agencies.