Food and beverage cues in children’s television programmes

The influence of programme genre

Bibliographic Data

ID15097603
AuthorsPaul Scully (0000-0001-6879-1804, University Hospital Limerick), Orlaith Reid (University Hospital Limerick), Alan Macken, Alan P Macken (University Hospital Limerick), M Healy (0000-0002-5804-0342, University of Limerick), Jean Saunders (0000-0003-2507-632X, University of Limerick), Des Leddin (University of Limerick), Walter Cullen (0000-0003-1838-5052, University of Limerick), Colum Dunne (0000-0002-5010-3185, University of Limerick), Clodagh S O’Gorman, Clodagh O’Gorman (0000-0002-0059-0026, National Children’s Research Centre, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume19
Issue4
Pages616-624
Publication date2016-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Health Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-9800 • E-ISSN: 1475-2727
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1368980015001755
PMID26080616
OpenAlexW609121356
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited25

Objective The link between childhood obesity and both television viewing and television advertising have previously been examined. We sought to investigate the frequency and type of food and beverage placements in children-specific television broadcasts and, in particular, differences between programme genres. Method Content of five weekdays of children-specific television broadcasting on both UK (BBC) and Irish (RTE) television channels was summarized. Food and beverage placements were coded based on type of product, product placement, product use and characters involved. A comparison was made between different programme genres: animated, cartoon, child-specific, film, quiz, tween and young persons’ programming. Results A total of 1155 (BBC=450; RTE=705) cues were recorded giving a cue every 4·2 min, an average of 12·3 s/cue. The genre with most cues recorded was cartoon programming (30·8 %). For the majority of genres, cues related to sweet snacks (range 1·8–23·3 %) and sweets/candy (range 3·6–25·8 %) featured highly. Fast-food (18·0 %) and sugar-sweetened beverage (42·3 %) cues were observed in a high proportion of tween programming. Celebratory/social motivation factors (range 10–40 %) were most common across all genres while there were low proportions of cues based on reward, punishment or health-related motivating factors. Conclusions The study provides evidence for the prominence of energy-dense/nutrient-poor foods and beverages in children’s programming. Of particular interest is the high prevalence of fast-food and sugar-sweetened beverage cues associated with tween programming. These results further emphasize the need for programme makers to provide a healthier image of foods and beverages in children’s television

Advertising · Business · Obesity · Product (mathematics · Unhealthy food · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Mathematics · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology