The new TV diet - evaluating the effect of the UK 2007 OfCom restrictions on television food advertising to children
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Inst of Health and Society
Abstract
The proportion of children who are overweight or obese in countries like the UK has increased substantially in recent years. There is evidence that food advertisements on television influence what children prefer to eat. Television food advertising may, therefore, contribute to the development of overweight, obesity and related conditions in otherwise healthy children. Whilst the broad types of food advertised on television are known (e.g. breakfast cereals, salty snacks and fast food), there is currently little information available on the exact nutritional content of foods that are advertised (e.g. the proportion of fat, protein and carbohydrate). Nor is it known if individuals of different ages, gender and social background tend to watch different amounts and types of television food advertisements. Restrictions on the advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar during children?s programmes began to be phased in in the UK in April 2007. As the UK is the first country to introduce such regulations on television food advertising to children, their effects on what foods are advertised on television, to whom and when are not known.
We will use information supplied by television broadcasters on what advertisements were broadcast, and who watched them, during four separate weeks between October 2006 and July 2009. We will link this to food manufacturer?s information on the nutritional content of foods advertised to answer four research questions: what was the nutritional content of foods advertised on UK television (the ?TV diet?) before, during and after implementation of the 2007 regulations?; were there any changes in the TV diet across these time points?; were there differences in the TV diet according to the age, sex and social background of viewers and, if so, did these vary across the time points?; were the 2007 regulations adhered to? Our results will help in the evaluation, review and revision of the new regulations on television food advertising to children.
The research team includes academic specialists in epidemiologist, public health, nutrition and obesity. The team has conducted previous research in this area and already developed the methods that will be used in this work. The research will be conducted at the same time as similar work in Canada, where new voluntary agreements on television food advertising to children have recently been introduced.
We will use information supplied by television broadcasters on what advertisements were broadcast, and who watched them, during four separate weeks between October 2006 and July 2009. We will link this to food manufacturer?s information on the nutritional content of foods advertised to answer four research questions: what was the nutritional content of foods advertised on UK television (the ?TV diet?) before, during and after implementation of the 2007 regulations?; were there any changes in the TV diet across these time points?; were there differences in the TV diet according to the age, sex and social background of viewers and, if so, did these vary across the time points?; were the 2007 regulations adhered to? Our results will help in the evaluation, review and revision of the new regulations on television food advertising to children.
The research team includes academic specialists in epidemiologist, public health, nutrition and obesity. The team has conducted previous research in this area and already developed the methods that will be used in this work. The research will be conducted at the same time as similar work in Canada, where new voluntary agreements on television food advertising to children have recently been introduced.
Technical Summary
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children in developed countries, including the UK, has increased substantially in recent years and is clearly socio-economically patterned. There is evidence that television food advertising influences children?s diets and, therefore, the development of overweight, obesity and related conditions in otherwise healthy children. However, there is currently little detailed data available on the nutritional content of foods that are advertised on television ? either overall or in terms of who is actually watching. Restrictions on the advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar during children?s programmes began to be phased in in the UK in April 2007. As the UK is the first country to introduce selective regulations on television food advertising to children, the effect of such regulations on the television advertising landscape are not known.
Using industry data on advertisements broadcast and associated viewing figures during four weeks between October 2006 and July 2009, and manufacturer?s data on the nutritional content of foods advertised, we will answer four research questions: what was the nutritional content of foods advertised on UK television (the ?TV diet?) before, during and after implementation of the 2007 regulations?; were there any changes in the TV diet across these time points?; were there differences in the TV diet according to age, sex and socio-economic position of viewers and, if so, did these vary across the time points?; were the 2007 regulations adhered to? Our analyses will provide a baseline against which future data can be compared, a platform for including the UK in international comparison studies, and necessary data for further development of informed public health nutrition policy.
The research team comprises a high-calibre, multi-disciplinary, international collaboration of epidemiologists, public health specialists, nutritionists and obesity researchers. Previous research, conducted by the current team, has developed the methods to be used here.
This research will be conducted in tandem with similar work in Canada exploring the impact of new voluntary agreements on television food advertising to children there. Funding for the Canadian arm of the research is not being sought, but we will work closely with our collaborators to ensure comparability of methods and results throughout.
This research, based on existing data, is a high quality, low cost, evaluation of one aspect of recent UK public health policy with potential to influence the development of further policy in the UK and elsewhere.
Using industry data on advertisements broadcast and associated viewing figures during four weeks between October 2006 and July 2009, and manufacturer?s data on the nutritional content of foods advertised, we will answer four research questions: what was the nutritional content of foods advertised on UK television (the ?TV diet?) before, during and after implementation of the 2007 regulations?; were there any changes in the TV diet across these time points?; were there differences in the TV diet according to age, sex and socio-economic position of viewers and, if so, did these vary across the time points?; were the 2007 regulations adhered to? Our analyses will provide a baseline against which future data can be compared, a platform for including the UK in international comparison studies, and necessary data for further development of informed public health nutrition policy.
The research team comprises a high-calibre, multi-disciplinary, international collaboration of epidemiologists, public health specialists, nutritionists and obesity researchers. Previous research, conducted by the current team, has developed the methods to be used here.
This research will be conducted in tandem with similar work in Canada exploring the impact of new voluntary agreements on television food advertising to children there. Funding for the Canadian arm of the research is not being sought, but we will work closely with our collaborators to ensure comparability of methods and results throughout.
This research, based on existing data, is a high quality, low cost, evaluation of one aspect of recent UK public health policy with potential to influence the development of further policy in the UK and elsewhere.