THE NATURE AND CONTENT OF TELEVISION FOOD ADVERTISING AND CHILDREN’S FOOD PREFERENCES

Abstract

Exposure to television (TV) is reported to be associated with unhealthy dietary behaviours among children. The surge in new television channels on TV sets in Ghana comes with all sort of advertisements. The aim of the current survey was to examine the nature and content of television food advertising and to explore the association between such exposure and children’s food preferences. In a cross-sectional survey with multistage sampling, 400 primary school children (mean age 10 (SD=0.8), 50% boys) from 8 different schools in the Sagnarigu district provided data on regular television watching behaviours and their food preferences. Using a television card on three laptops, television data was recorded for 1 week from the 3 highest rated channels (UTV, TV3 and GH One) among the children. Pearson χ2 tests was used to assess statistical significance in association between duration of exposure to television and children’s food preferences. Overall 4,551 advertisements per week were shown by the 3 television channels of which 8% were food-related. Most (53.7%) of the food advertisements were sugar containing non-core foods. For every 1 core food advertisement, there were 2 non-core food advertised. Promotional character was the sole marketing strategy used by all television channels. Children in the district watch television on average 2.4 (SD=1.2) hours per day. The study concluded that free-to-air television channels in Ghana are showing potentially high volumes of less healthy food advertisements. Most of the content of the foods advertised were sugar containing non-core foods (less healthy) particularly sugar. The study could not establish a significant association between duration of TV exposure and preference for advertised food products (healthy or less healthy).