Post by account_disabled on Dec 27, 2023 9:01:58 GMT
Spain is one of the most acclaimed countries for the healthy nutritional value of the classic Mediterranean diet. However, ultra-processed food products are increasingly present in the pantries of thousands of families , which is causing an increase in childhood obesity rates. Part of the blame lies with advertising aimed at children, according to a recent study ( Breakfast Food Advertisements in Mediterranean Countries: Products' Sugar Content in the Adverts from 2015 to 2019 ) prepared by Mireia Montaña, professor and researcher at the Studies of Information and Communication Sciences at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). The study analyzed 355 campaigns for 117 breakfast products advertised between 2015 and 2019. The results showed a disproportionate presence of foods with high levels of sugar in advertisements for children compared to advertising aimed at adults. Specifically, the average sugar present in products from both categories is 36.20 and 10.25%, respectively. In fact, the products most present in breakfast advertisements are cookies, which account for 60% of the total .
This is followed by chocolate products such as spread or cocoa powder (25% of advertisements for children). “ Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, although it is maintained among the adult population, is being lost among Phone Number List children and young people. These people increasingly prefer to eat more industrial products prepared with high sugar content for breakfast,” says Montaña. For her part, Mònika Jiménez, professor of Advertising and Public Relations at the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and co-author of another study on a similar topic, comments: “ the further the product is from what would be healthy nutritional parameters, the more The advertising discourse is based on hedonism or happiness, tending increasingly towards persuasion (...). This is especially harmful to certain audiences, such as minors, because they are very vulnerable to these stimuli.” The pester power effect The pester power effect refers to “the influence of children on the purchasing habits of their parents.” This means that sugary and ultra-processed children's products end up being part of the entire family's diet.
Children, for their part, being more vulnerable to advertising, become more insistent consumers. According to Professors Montaña and Jiménez, television is the star channel to achieve an attraction effect towards this type of products. The study data reflects a presence of advertisements on TV of 39%, on radio, of 28%; on the internet, 18%; in the press, 6%; in magazines, 5%; in outdoor advertising, 2%, and in cinema, 0.56%. Solutions and legal framework The two experts point to the need to restrict advertising of unhealthy foods aimed at young children with fragile critical thinking. In Spain, there is a regulatory framework that was developed under the NAOS strategy (Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention). This is the PAOS Code, which, according to the UOC, “aims to regulate advertising aimed at minors to avoid promoting childhood obesity.” However, brands manage to avoid these regulations by claiming that their advertisements are also aimed at adults and fall within various time slots. Other alternatives to put a stop to this situation are better nutritional education for both parents and children, as well as raising taxes on products with low nutritional value or high sugar content.
This is followed by chocolate products such as spread or cocoa powder (25% of advertisements for children). “ Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, although it is maintained among the adult population, is being lost among Phone Number List children and young people. These people increasingly prefer to eat more industrial products prepared with high sugar content for breakfast,” says Montaña. For her part, Mònika Jiménez, professor of Advertising and Public Relations at the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and co-author of another study on a similar topic, comments: “ the further the product is from what would be healthy nutritional parameters, the more The advertising discourse is based on hedonism or happiness, tending increasingly towards persuasion (...). This is especially harmful to certain audiences, such as minors, because they are very vulnerable to these stimuli.” The pester power effect The pester power effect refers to “the influence of children on the purchasing habits of their parents.” This means that sugary and ultra-processed children's products end up being part of the entire family's diet.
Children, for their part, being more vulnerable to advertising, become more insistent consumers. According to Professors Montaña and Jiménez, television is the star channel to achieve an attraction effect towards this type of products. The study data reflects a presence of advertisements on TV of 39%, on radio, of 28%; on the internet, 18%; in the press, 6%; in magazines, 5%; in outdoor advertising, 2%, and in cinema, 0.56%. Solutions and legal framework The two experts point to the need to restrict advertising of unhealthy foods aimed at young children with fragile critical thinking. In Spain, there is a regulatory framework that was developed under the NAOS strategy (Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention). This is the PAOS Code, which, according to the UOC, “aims to regulate advertising aimed at minors to avoid promoting childhood obesity.” However, brands manage to avoid these regulations by claiming that their advertisements are also aimed at adults and fall within various time slots. Other alternatives to put a stop to this situation are better nutritional education for both parents and children, as well as raising taxes on products with low nutritional value or high sugar content.