Five minutes of junk food advertising ‘leads children to eat 130 extra calories’
Five minutes of junk food advertising results in children consuming 130 extra calories per day, researchers say.
A study found that advertising and marketing across platforms such as social media, TV and podcasts all had a similar effect.
The research, which has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga.
Adverts
The study found that seven to 15-year-olds exposed to five minutes of adverts for foods high in saturated fat, sugar, and/or salt (HFSS) consumed on average 130 extra calories per day – the equivalent of a small chocolate bar.
Lead author, Professor Emma Boyland from the University of Liverpool, said: “Even short exposure to marketing of foods high in fat, salt and sugar can drive excess calorie consumption and potentially weight gain, particularly in young people who are more susceptible to advertising and whose eating patterns influence their lifelong health.”
The research included 240 children aged seven to 15.
Analysis showed that following exposure to HFSS food ads, children consumed more snacks (an extra 58.4 calories), more lunch (an extra 72.5 calories), and more food overall (snack and lunch combined) than after exposure to non-food advertising.
Those children with a higher body mass index also showed a “greater responsivity” to the food adverts, experts found.
Ban
The UK Government is introducing a ban on the targeting of junk food adverts at children from October this year.
It estimates this will prevent thousands of cases of childhood obesity.
The restrictions affect advertising for less healthy food or drink on television between 5.30am and 9pm, alongside paid-for advertising online at any time.
Other types of advertising, such as billboards and other outdoor advertising, are not be affected by the change.
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And how many minutes driven around in a car, prevents that calorie burn and more. As much as junk food is part of a problem, our older relatives ate alot of bad foods, sugars etc. But they walked to the shops, walked a few km’s without thinking it’s exercise, so naturally stayed healthier. So when parents are driving to the fast food drive thru, the food is not the only problem. Until. The movement is addressed, taxing or removing ad,’s, feel like lip service, due to weak government, looking for a quick fix that don’t exist.
We have been conditioned by the oil industry that the car you own and how often you drive it is a measure of your success in life. Quite why so many are willing to sacrifice their health to enrich billionaires is baffling.