Reporting their findings at the European Congress on Obesity, University of Liverpool (UK) researchers said that obese and overweight children increased their food intake by more than 100 percent after watching food advertisements on television. The children, aged between nine and eleven, were shown a series of both food television adverts and toy adverts, followed by a cartoon. Food intake following the food adverts was significantly higher compared with the toy adverts in all weight groups, with the obese children increasing their consumption by 134 percent; overweight children by 101 percent and normal weight children by 84 percent. Interestingly, it was found that weight dictated food preference, with the obese group consistently choosing the highest fat product.
"Our research confirms food TV advertising has a profound effect on all children's eating habits - doubling their consumption rate. The study was also particularly interesting in suggesting a strong connection between weight and susceptibility to over-eating when exposed to food adverts on television," said researcher Jason Halford.
Although a ban on junk food advertising around children's television programs was introduced in the UK in January 2007, surveys have shown that many children still watch during 'family viewing' hours in the evening when the ban does not apply. Future studies are planned to investigate whether enhanced responsiveness to food adverts or the greater amount of television children are watching is a predictor of childhood obesity.
Source: University of Liverpool
