Just five minutes of exposure to junk food advertising makes children eat more

Scientists have revealed how just five minutes of exposure to junk food advertising causes children to consume more calories later that day.

Research has shown how even adverts which show a familiar fast food brand logo - but no food product - cause kids to eat more of any food they are given.

The study involved 240 children aged seven to 15 at schools across Merseyside and is being presented at the European Obesity Congress in Malaga, Spain. It has sparked warnings that marketers are becoming more sophisticated in advertising junk food to children.

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Experts warn the study exposes a serious loophole in the Government’s planned ban on junk food TV adverts before 9pm, which comes into force in October.

The research looked at the power of brands including McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Domino’s, Kelloggs, Walkers, Cadbury and Ben & Jerry's.

Study lead Emma Boyland, a professor of food marketing and child health at Liverpool University, said: “This is the first study to show that brand-only food advertising effects what children eat, where the advert just shows branding elements like logos, rather than specific food products. For the first time we’ve shown that that type of advertising, which is becoming more frequent does affect children’s food intake.

“It just shows the strength of the brand imagery, that in many cases are very familiar to children from a very young age, children are able to identify brands and have special preferences for particular products or fast food outlets etc. before they start school.”

Children involved in the trial were, on two different occasions, shown five minutes of food-related and non-food adverts. After each exposure, they were offered snacks such as grapes or chocolate buttons, and, a while later, trays of lunch food with savoury, sweet and healthy items. Those who saw a five minute junk food advert consumed 130 more calories a day and the effect was the same for adverts featuring specific food products or with only branding.

The Government confirmed in December that a 9pm watershed will be introduced for TV adverts featuring junk food products, along with restrictions on paid online adverts. It claimed the measures would prevent thousands of cases of childhood obesity by removing around 7.2 billion calories per year from the diets of UK children.

Prof Boyland said the Advertising Standards Authority had yet to set out final guidance but brand-only advertising is expected to be exempt. She added that this type of content, which seeks to more subtly create a positive impression of brands, was becoming increasingly popular.

Prof Boyland said: “This research suggests that we need to look at what’s happening in the media and advertising trends, and that is certainly towards a greater emphasis on brands and creating positive associations with positive attributes like happiness, positive emotions and so on.”

Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “Food advertising is driving excess calorie intake in children. From October, new restrictions will limit unhealthy food adverts on TV before 9pm and online at any time - a vital step forward that will protect children from the worst offenders. But loopholes remain.

“Brands will still be able to advertise to young people even without showing specific products, on billboards and at bus stops, and children living with overweight or obesity are especially vulnerable.

“Small reductions in calorie intake can lead to meaningful improvements in children’s health. If the government is serious about ending junk food advertising to children, they must close the loopholes that will allow companies to keep bombarding them.”

Children ate 58 calories more in snacks and 73 calories more at lunchtime after being exposed to junk food adverts. The additional calories combined were equivalent to extra two slices of bread every day and experts are warning that all adds up.

Prof Boyland added: “We also showed that children don’t just eat more immediately following food advertising, they actually ate more at the lunch meal as well, a couple of hours after they had seen the advertising.

“This led to an overall increased consumption of 130 calories in the day, just based on five minutes of advertising exposure which of course is much less than children would typically be seeing on a normal day. That’s a substantial uplift in calorie intake that over time, if repeated, would clearly lead to weight gain in young people.

RCPCH Officer for Health Improvement Dr Helen Stewart said: “Childhood obesity is stubbornly high, with children in the most deprived areas facing rates more than twice as high as their peers. Paediatricians recognise that tackling this crisis is impossible without also introducing necessary measures such as regulations on the food industry.

“We call on the government to implement the junk food marketing ban as planned, and without further delay. Reducing children's exposure to unhealthy food advertising is a crucial step in curbing rising obesity levels. Every child should be given the chance to grow up healthy and happy.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "This government has taken bold action to end junk food ads targeted at children on TV and online, which will reduce the number living with obesity by 20,000, and deliver health benefits to the economy worth £2 billion.

“We are encouraging the industry to focus on healthier options, by allowing companies to advertise healthier alternatives in identified categories. Through our Plan for Change, we will shift the focus from sickness to prevention, reducing the burden of obesity on public services and the .”