The focus of recent Ask the Professor posts has been how foods and drinks are advertised to kids, through online marketing as well as in-store marketing. Now, let's talk about the marketing to kids that happens in fast food restaurants.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of U.S. children and teens, ages 2 to 19, will consume fast food on any given day. And on days when kids have fast food, they eat more fat, salt and sugar. Let’s consider how kids’ food choices may be influenced by marketing.
A recent study of marketing practices at 165 restaurants from five major fast-food chains showed:
- Ads are posted both inside and outside of restaurants and usually feature short-term price reductions for less-healthy menu options.
- Other marketing tactics included prompts by employees to add items to the order.
- Ads directed at kids often included cartoon characters, toys, and/or featured characters from TV and movies.
- Although many restaurants had healthy options on their kids’ menus, those options were rarely advertised.
So what does this mean for parents and others caring for children? It means:
- Your efforts to encourage healthy choices may be undermined by the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks.
- Limiting kids’ exposure to marketing is one way to minimize its influence. This may be most important for young children who aren’t yet able to recognize marketing or understand the intent.
- Older kids can benefit from your advice and guidance on the subject.
This article was written and reviewed by Rethink Your Drink Â鶹ӳ»’s team of dietetic professionals. To learn more about making healthier drink choices, , . To suggest a newsletter topic, write to RethinkYourDrinkÂ鶹ӳ»@unr.edu, and receive a free, healthy drink recipe book.
Jamie Benedict, Ph.D., R.D.N., is a professor with Rethink Your Drink, a program offered by the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources' Department of Nutrition in collaboration with .
The program is funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — SNAP. SNAP provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact 800-992-0900.
