Scholars have noted that food marketing significantly impacts the lives of children, influencing what foods they request and consume. However, the impact of food marketing on low-income children has only been explored minimally. This project explores both media-based and in-store food marketing to low-income families, along with potential outcomes of exposure. Study 1 explores the impacts of media-based food marketing on low-income families, utilizing a survey of low-income parents and guardians of children between the ages of 2-12. Results suggest that child exposure to food marketing impacts how parents perceive view advertised foods and is also associated with parents purchasing advertised foods. Furthermore, this study finds that exposure to food marketing impacts child eating behaviors and that Internet-based marketing is associated with higher BMI in low-income children. Thus, this study implicates media-based marketing as a possible contributor to the continuing problem of childhood obesity among low-income populations. </DISS_para> <DISS_para>The food industry uses similar tactics when marketing foods in-stores as they do when marketing foods via media. When it comes to child-targeted marketing, the use of characters is very common across both platforms. Study 2 examines in-store marketing and low-income children and finds that child affect toward characters on packaging is associated with parental belief that the food product itself is healthy. Additionally, this study indicates that both character use as well as parent perceptions of media may impact perceptions of in-store food products. Finally, the results of this study indicate that characters are quite appealing to low-income children, when used on branded food items. Thus, this study argues that the use of characters may sway low-income families to choose food products, many of which are unhealthy. Study 3 continues the exploration of the impacts of in-store marketing on low-income communities. The ultimate goal of this study was to examine the nutritional value of child-targeted food products and compare nutritional content and advertising strategies across grocery stores in low, middle and high income areas. First, this study examines child-targeted marketing strategies on food items that feature a character on the front of package. Findings of this study suggest that greater use of child-targeted strategies may predict poorer nutritional content and that generally, nutritional content of foods in these stores is poor. Additionally, this study indicates that brightly colored products may be of poor nutritional value, when examined in the context of other child-targeted marketing strategies. When nutritional content and strategies are compared across income levels, significant differences do not emerge. Taken together, these findings may indicate that generally, child-targeted marketing promotes foods of poorer nutritional value and that low-income families with access to grocery stores will face similar levels of marketing for such foods. Overall, this project fills gaps in existing literature regarding the impact of food marketing on low-income children and families. Both media-based and in-store marketing may impact child requests for food, purchases of advertised foods and ultimately, child health outcomes. Thus, this project suggests the need for continued regulation of advertising to children, especially low-income children. Additionally, as food marketing may play a large role in children’s overall nutrition and health, it is suggested that future interventions train parents and children to counteract the influence and effects of food marketing.

Last modified

• 03/13/2018

Creator

• Heather Montague

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/N28T1N

Subject

• Media, Technology and Society

Keyword

• Marketing
• Public Health
• Communication

Date created

• 2017-01-01

Resource type

• Dissertation

Rights statement

• In Copyright