Television food advertising: a threat to consumer health?

Abstract

Food advertising and its influence on food choice generates frequent discussions and it has been blamed for contributing heavily to poor eating habits. This study looks into television advertising content, taking into account the strategies that concern the characteristics of the message, of the food, of the consumer, and of the arguments used. Data were collected from recordings of the broadcasts of three different open TV networks throughout the day at predetermined times and the commercials' contents were analyzed. The results show that the messages are based mainly on emotions, focusing on food flavor and eating pleasure, with little mention of nutritional and health issues. The study also indicated that the focus of those TV commercials is mainly children. At the end of this article, the authors voice their thoughts on the need to analyze food choices within a broader context, concluding that only joint public and private efforts could help to promote healthier eating habits.