Project report

on
A content analysis of Indian food
advertisements
aimed at children and adults

Submitted to
Dr. Purva Kansal

Submitted By
Ravneet Kaur
Deepak Jain
MBA-General-A (Semester-3)

University Business School

Panjab University, Chandigarh
Contents
1. Introduction: ......................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Research problem : ............................................................................................................................... 5
3. Need of the study: ................................................................................................................................ 5
4. Methods: ............................................................................................................................................... 6
5. Scope of the study: ............................................................................................................................... 6
6. Content to be analyzed : ....................................................................................................................... 6
METHOD........................................................................................................................................................ 8
DATA ANALYSIS : ........................................................................................................................................... 9
Discussion.................................................................................................................................................... 25
Recommendations: ..................................................................................................................................... 26
Limitations of study :................................................................................................................................... 26
1. Introduction:
In light of the continuing epidemic of childhood obesity, aggressive food marketing
strategies have come under increased scrutiny as a possible contributing factor. It has
been acknowledged in numerous studies, that poor nutrient quality of food and beverages
dominate children’s programming. The growth in child-specific media envoys has further
increased favorable opportunities to market food and beverages to children, notably less
regulated and parentally unsupervised. Most of children aged 6-11 have home access to
the Internet; and today, the majority of food manufacturers operate websites appealing to
children. FSSAI issued a warning to all food manufacturers to shift the balance of food
and beverages advertised to children from high-calorie, low-nutrient foods to more
healthful foods or face federal restrictions on food marketing to children. Childhood
obesity is reaching alarming proportions with India reporting around 22% prevalence rate
over the last 5 years in children and adolescents aged between 5-19 years.

A new report by a commission formed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has
identified "marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages" as a major factor
in the increase in numbers of children being overweight and obese, particularly in the
developing world.

Raising concerns about the rise of adult diseases in youth, like high blood pressure, type
2 diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis, the report highlights the effect of obesity on a
child's immediate health, educational attainment and quality of life. "It is important to
address the problem of obesity and overweight at school level itself because otherwise it
can lead to disease burden which will continue into adulthood," says Dr Anoop Misra,
chairman, Fortis CDOC hospital for diabetes and allied specialties. Globally, the trend is
high among children under five years of age with at least 41 million found to be obese or
overweight in 2014. While the prevalence rate of obesity in this age group is still low in
India at less than 5%, the WHO report suggests it is rising at the fastest pace among all
developing countries. Between 1990 and 2014, the number of overweight children in low
and middle-income countries has more than doubled from 7.5 million to 15.5 million. In
2014, almost half (48%) of all overweight and obese children under 5 years age lived in
Asia and one-quarter (25%) in Africa.

According to the report, in poorer countries, children of wealthier families are more
likely to be obese, especially in cultures where "an overweight child is often considered
to be healthy." However, in wealthier countries, poorer children are more likely to be
obese partly because of the affordability of fatty fast food and high sugary snacks.
According to Dr Misra, in India there is also a wide divide between children in urban and
rural areas. While food habits are poor in urban areas leading to high prevalence rate, in
rural India there is a lack of reporting mechanism to gauge the real situation.
Childhood Obesity and Unclear Etiology:

The most widely accepted definition of obesity is a net energy imbalance between
calories consumed via food and beverages, and calories expended through daily physical
activity, metabolism, normal growth and development (CDC, 2008). However, the
acknowledgement of extraneous variables can further accentuate this net energy
imbalance to promote a child to be overweight, and complicate the etiology of obesity to
be best explained as multi-factorial.

Although numerous studies have been, and will continue to be conducted, the
impossibility of teasing out exclusive factors from a tangled web of potential influences
prevent establishing causality to the climbing trend of childhood obesity. Nonetheless,
childhood obesity has more than tripled among children aged 6-11 in the past three (3)
decades, and continues to attract and demand the attention of consumer interest groups,
health professionals, academics, public policy makers, and even industry leaders (CDC,
2008).

Growing Technology and Profitable Food Marketing to Children:

Since the advent of home television, children-targeted advertising has been a strategic
marketing plan utilized by the food industry (Wiesenfeld et al., 2007). Children are often
glorified as the ideal, captive audience for advertising, as they are easily influenced,
receptive to marketing messages, and have the a long life ahead as consumers
(Wiesenfeld et al., 2007). Many current trends in childhood commercialization, especially
growing children-specific media opportunities, have piqued marketing interest in this
target group and intensified the profusion of media into children’s daily life (Calvert,
2008).

Kids under the age of 12 are considered to be malleable. Adults, one assumes, know that
ads are meant to "sell" things to them; but you can't expect all kids to be that discerning.
Kids these days are exposed to more media than any other generation ever was in its
childhood. And as Mondelez puts it in its code of conduct: Younger children have a
limited capacity for evaluating the credibility of (or the deluge of) information they
receive.

Childhood obesity has become a worldwide issue. In its 2011 UN Summit on non-
communicable diseases, the United Nations appealed to the private sector to "reduce the
impact of marketing of products high in salt, sugar and fat to children in light of the
dramatic rise in childhood obesity over the past decades."

Turner has released its flagship research study, New Generations 2016, which puts the
spotlight on lifestyle, opinion, behavioral pattern and spending habits of over 6,000 kids
surveyed in India. The report highlights that Television ranks as the No. 1 form of media
 consumption at 97 per cent, with cartoons being the most watched genre by kids and
parents alike.

More than 50% kids use computers and 25% access the internet 84% children ranging
from the age group of 7-14 years use a desktop, whereas, 33% kids aged between 4-6
years seem to be open to using and are well versant with newer technologies. Gaming &
Information sourcing most popular activities for kids. A finding from the study states that
5% of the parents believe that their child is active on social media while 25% of children
claim to be active on social media. Facebook is their most-liked social media application,
where 54% kids are active through somebody else’s account and 47% kids through their
own account. At an annual spending potential of Rs 22,594 crore, Indian kids have more
money to spend than the GDP of 50 smaller countries of the world, including Bhutan,
Aruba and Maldives. So, with high online presence and high spending by children in
India, it gives a good opportunity to food marketers to target children in order to earn
their revenues. This study focuses on food products targeted at both adults and children.
It attempted to contrast food advertisements targeting children versus adults. This study
will represent an addition to the existing literature on the content of television and print
media food advertisements because it is a comparison between child focused and adult-
focused television food advertisements. It will explore whether similar food is advertised
quite differently to adults and children and whether different food is advertised more
frequently to these two distinct sets of consumers.

2. Research problem :
This study intends to know the main features presented in food ads in print media and
television in India analyzing the differences between ads aimed at children and at adults.

3. Need of the study:

This study will conduct a content analysis of print and television advertisements owned
by the most advertised food and beverages and will examine for their content as well. The
need of this study is to illustrate the stealth advertising utilized via the print and television
and provide information for promoting awareness among nutrition. So that actions can be
taken to impede the food companies promoting the food content that is directly
responsible for the obesity in children and adults. This study is required to make
appropriate suggestions to regulate the impact of Advertisements on children and adults
and to create healthy environment to the children and adults in relation to advertisements.
4. Methods: A contents analysis of ads included in a sample of 60 hours of programming
from TV channels with the largest audience and print ads . The information about health
benefits, warnings about excessive consumption, the presence of scientific information
and the type of food announced were analyzed. Analytical observational design of
prevalence contrasting the differences between the ads aimed at children and those aimed
at adults. The units of analysis were the ads included in the sample, which were selected
from the broadcasts of the 3 TV channels i.e. star plus, pogo and cartoon network which
have the highest audience share in India for adults and children in the programming slots
from 7.00 to 21.00 for adults and from 3.00 to 8.00 for children among programs with
major audience share and specifically addressed to children. Chi-square tests will be
conducted to ascertain whether there are any significant differences between the
‘Children’ and ‘Non-Children’ advertisements, with respect to the content categories
established.

5. Scope of the study:

This study will cover various fast food chains, beverages, biscuits, chocolates, sweets,
breakfast cereals, canned or bottled juices, after school snacks like noodles, soft drinks
and aerated drinks for children and other which are not deemed specifically to target
children as the primary consumer, i.e. those advertisements for food products aimed at all
others. This study will be useful to make useful recommendations and suggestions to the
government in order to improve the print media and TV advertisement content and
nutritional value of the food content of these food companies.

6. Content to be analyzed :
1. Health benefits: Are there any claims of a benefit to health or nutritional value
associated with the advertised food product?

2. Disclaimers: Are any disclaimers relating to advice or warning about excessive

consumption of the product (of the type ‘Enjoy as part of a balanced diet and active
lifestyle’— usually written in small print at the bottom of the screen) included.

3. Scientific information: Is any scientific, factual or technical information included?

For example, the way the product’s ingredients work (‘slow energy releasing’
ingredients), or a visual depiction of the product ‘taking effect’ in the body.

4. Price: Is any information about the price/value of the product, or any promotions/
competitions relating to the product, given?

5. Reality versus fantasy: Is the advertisement based (primarily) in reality or fantasy

(e.g. impossible, computer-generated events, even if the central figure was real)?
 6. Use of cartoons: Does any part of the advertisement contain cartoon characters?

7. Presence of celebrities: Does the advertisement use any celebrities or well-known

personalities to sell the product?

8. Setting: The setting or location of the advertisement. Three principle settings will be
distinguished (Furnham and Bitar, 1993): ‘Shop’ (set in the place of purchase, such as a
supermarket), ‘Leisure’ (figures in the advertisement are shown in an outdoor setting,
being active, taking exercise or playing sports) and ‘Home’ (a domestic or familial
setting, such as in a kitchen or at a dinner table). As some advertisements includes more
than one of these settings, each advertisement will be first coded for whether any part of
it features each of these settings in turn.

9. Food type: Advertisements will be compared in terms of whether the food products
advertised are:

(a) Healthy or unhealthy (this was mainly based on the fat, sugar and salt content of the
food, and was essentially a subjective judgment);

(b) ‘Fast Food’ (e.g. crisps, pizzas, burgers, chocolates, sweets) or non-fast food;

(c) Fruit and vegetables;

(d) Confectionaries/ snacks or main meals (beverages not included).

10. Voice (I). Those advertisements in which a voice-over will be present will be coded
according to whether the voice-over is that of a female or that of a male.

11. Central figure (I). Those advertisements in which a central figure is identifiable will
be coded according to whether the figure is female or male.

The following three content categories will be limited to the ‘children’s

advertisements’:
12. Parent –child interactions. Limiting the sample to the ‘Children’ advertisements
alone, the presence or absence of parent–child interactions (or whether a parent figured
significantly in the advertisement) will be compared according to the different food types.

13. Voice (II): As with the parent–child interactions, gender comparisons will be made
between the voice-overs in each of the three food type sub-comparison categories
previously mentioned.

14. Central figure (II): Comparisons will be made for each of the three food type sub
comparison categories, according to the gender of the central figures in the
advertisements.
METHOD
Sample of advertisements:

The advertisements to be analyzed were sampled from a total of 45 hrs of television programming, taken
from the star plus, colors, set max, cartoon network and pogo channel within a time period of 30 days.
These are the biggest commercial television networks in India which attract more than 780 million
viewers (Economic Times). Nine hours of programming was recorded during each of the five days,
between the hours of 9.30 am and 6.30 pm, considered to be ‘Daytime’ programming . In total, 23
different advertisements for food products were shown during the 45 hrs of programmes (most being
repeated many times over).

14 of these were advertisements for food products deemed to be aimed specifically at children (‘Children’
advertisements). The remaining 9 were not deemed specifically to target children as the primary
consumer, i.e. were those advertisements for food products aimed at all others (‘Non-Children’
advertisements).
DATA ANALYSIS :
Chi-square tests were conducted to ascertain whether there were any significant differences between
the ‘Children’ and ‘Non-Children’ advertisements, with respect to the content categories established.
Results, and initial implications of these results, were as follows:

1. Health benefits:-
Chi-Square Tests

Value df Asymp. Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (1-
sided) sided) sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 2.608a 1 .106

Continuity Correctionb 1.324 1 .250
Likelihood Ratio 2.867 1 .090
Fisher's Exact Test .176 .124
N of Valid Cases 23

a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 2.74.
b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

Crosstab

health_benefits Total

no yes

Count 8 6 14

% within VAR00009 57.1% 42.9% 100.0%

children
% within health_benefits 50.0% 85.7% 60.9%

% of Total 34.8% 26.1% 60.9%

VAR00009
Count 8 1 9

% within VAR00009 88.9% 11.1% 100.0%

non children
% within health_benefits 50.0% 14.3% 39.1%

% of Total 34.8% 4.3% 39.1%

Count 16 7 23

% within VAR00009 69.6% 30.4% 100.0%

Total
% within health_benefits 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

% of Total 69.6% 30.4% 100.0%

A non -significant chi-square was found for health benefits: χ2 =2.608, p > 0.05. This tells us that there is
no statistically significant association between advertisement type and health benefits. that is, both
children and non children advertisements equally do not highlight health benefits of products. A larger
proportion of the children’ advertisements do not include claims of health benefits associated with the
advertised food products (57.1%) and the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements also do not claims health
benefits with a majority of 88.9%. A total of 69.6% of ads do not highlight health benefits of their
products.
 2. Disclaimers

Chi-Square Tests

Value df Asymp. Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (1-
sided) sided) sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 3.407a 1 .065

Continuity Correctionb 1.183 1 .277
Likelihood Ratio 4.055 1 .044
Fisher's Exact Test .142 .142
N of Valid Cases 23

a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .78.
b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

Crosstab

Disclaimers Total

no yes

Count 14 0 14

% within VAR00009 100.0% 0.0% 100.0%

children
% within Disclaimers 66.7% 0.0% 60.9%

% of Total 60.9% 0.0% 60.9%

VAR00009
Count 7 2 9

% within VAR00009 77.8% 22.2% 100.0%

non children
% within Disclaimers 33.3% 100.0% 39.1%

% of Total 30.4% 8.7% 39.1%

Count 21 2 23

% within VAR00009 91.3% 8.7% 100.0%

Total
% within Disclaimers 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

% of Total 91.3% 8.7% 100.0%

A non -significant chi-square was found for health benefits: χ2 =3.407, p > 0.05. This tells us that there is
no statistically significant association between advertisement type and health related disclaimers that is,
both children and non children advertisements equally do not highlight health related disclaimers of
products. 100% of the children’ advertisements do not include health related disclaimers associated
with the advertised food products and the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements also do not claims health
benefits with a majority of 77.8%. A total of 91.3% ads do not highlight health related disclaimers.
 3. Scientific information :

Chi-Square Tests

Value df Asymp. Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (1-
sided) sided) sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 2.218a 1 .136

Continuity Correctionb .731 1 .393
Likelihood Ratio 3.264 1 .071
Fisher's Exact Test .253 .206
N of Valid Cases 23

a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 1.17.
b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

Crosstab

Scientific_info Total

no yes

Count 11 3 14

% within VAR00009 78.6% 21.4% 100.0%

children
% within Scientific_info 55.0% 100.0% 60.9%

% of Total 47.8% 13.0% 60.9%

VAR00009
Count 9 0 9

% within VAR00009 100.0% 0.0% 100.0%

non children
% within Scientific_info 45.0% 0.0% 39.1%

% of Total 39.1% 0.0% 39.1%

Count 20 3 23

% within VAR00009 87.0% 13.0% 100.0%

Total
% within Scientific_info 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

% of Total 87.0% 13.0% 100.0%

A non -significant chi-square was found for health benefits: χ2 =2.218, p > 0.05. This tells us that there is
no statistically significant association between advertisement type and scientific information provided
by products that is; both children and non children advertisements equally do not highlight scientific
information of products. 78.6% of the children’ advertisements do not include scientific information
associated with the advertised food products and all the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements also do not
show scientific information. A total of 87% ads do not highlight scientific information.
4. Price
5. Reality versus fantasy
 6. Cartoons
Chi-Square Tests

Value df Asymp. Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (1-
sided) sided) sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 4.107a 1 .043

Continuity Correctionb 2.276 1 .131
Likelihood Ratio 5.836 1 .016
Fisher's Exact Test .116 .059
N of Valid Cases 23

a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 1.96.
b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

Crosstab

cartoons Total

no yes

Count 9 5 14

% within VAR00009 64.3% 35.7% 100.0%

children
% within cartoons 50.0% 100.0% 60.9%

% of Total 39.1% 21.7% 60.9%

VAR00009
Count 9 0 9

% within VAR00009 100.0% 0.0% 100.0%

non children
% within cartoons 50.0% 0.0% 39.1%

% of Total 39.1% 0.0% 39.1%

Count 18 5 23

% within VAR00009 78.3% 21.7% 100.0%

Total
% within cartoons 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

% of Total 78.3% 21.7% 100.0%

A non -significant chi-square was found for use for cartoons: χ2 =4.107, p < 0.05. This tells us that there is
statistically significant association between advertisement type and use of cartoons by products that is;
children advertisements highlight use of cartoons in advertisements. 35.7% of the children’
advertisements highlight use of cartoons in advertisements of food products and all the ‘Non-Children’
advertisements do not highlight use of cartoons in advertisements(0.0%). A total of 21.7% ads highlight
use of cartoons in advertisements and all those advertisements are children advertisements.
 7. Healthy products and parent child interactions

Chi-Square Tests

Value df Asymp. Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (1-
sided) sided) sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 6.244a 1 .012

Continuity Correctionb 4.080 1 .043
Likelihood Ratio 8.458 1 .004
Fisher's Exact Test .019 .017
N of Valid Cases 23

a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 2.61.
b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

healthy * parent_child_interaction Crosstabulation

parent_child_interaction Total

no yes

Count 10 7 17

% within healthy 58.8% 41.2% 100.0%

no % within 100.0% 53.8% 73.9%
parent_child_interaction

% of Total 43.5% 30.4% 73.9%

healthy
Count 0 6 6

% within healthy 0.0% 100.0% 100.0%

yes % within 0.0% 46.2% 26.1%
parent_child_interaction

% of Total 0.0% 26.1% 26.1%

Count 10 13 23

% within healthy 43.5% 56.5% 100.0%

Total % within 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
parent_child_interaction

% of Total 43.5% 56.5% 100.0%

There is a significant association between advertisements of healthy products and use of parent child
interactions with a χ2 =6.244 and p<0.05. 100% of healthy food ads show parent children interactions.
 8. Healthy food and voice

Chi-Square Tests

Value df Asymp. Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (2- Exact Sig. (1-
sided) sided) sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 4.102a 1 .043

Continuity Correctionb 2.402 1 .121
Likelihood Ratio 4.360 1 .037
Fisher's Exact Test .069 .059
N of Valid Cases 23

a. 2 cells (50.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 2.87.
b. Computed only for a 2x2 table

Crosstab

voice Total

female male

Count 6 11 17

% within healthy 35.3% 64.7% 100.0%

no
% within voice 54.5% 91.7% 73.9%

% of Total 26.1% 47.8% 73.9%

healthy
Count 5 1 6

% within healthy 83.3% 16.7% 100.0%

yes
% within voice 45.5% 8.3% 26.1%

% of Total 21.7% 4.3% 26.1%

Count 11 12 23

% within healthy 47.8% 52.2% 100.0%

Total
% within voice 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

% of Total 47.8% 52.2% 100.0%

There is a significant association between advertisements of healthy products and voice of central figure
with a χ2 =4.102 and p<0.05. 83.3% of healthy food ads use female voice.
9. Celebrities
10. Shop setting
11. Leisure setting
12. Home setting
13. Fast food
14. Confectionery
15. Voice
16. Parent child interactions
Discussion
Significantly more of the ‘Children’ food advertisements do not contains claims of health benefits
relating to the advertised product; do not contain scientific information; were reality-based; used
cartoons; used a ‘Home’ setting; advertised ‘unhealthy’ and ‘confectionery’ ; and contained a female
central figure, than did the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements.

On the other hand, significantly more of the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements contained information
regarding price, contained celebrities; used a ‘Leisure’ setting; advertised fast food and confectionery;
and contained a male central figure, than did the ‘Children’ advertisements. Looking specifically at the
‘Children’ advertisements, significantly more parent–child interactions were present in the ‘healthy’,
and main meal food advertisements than in the ‘unhealthy’, ‘fast’ and snack food advertisements,
respectively. The ‘unhealthy’ and ‘fast’ food advertisements used significantly more male voice-overs
than did the ‘healthy’ and ‘non fast’ food advertisements which used significantly more female voices.
No significant difference, in terms of the use of male or female central figures, was found between the
between the ‘fast’ and ‘non fast’ food advertisements, or between the snack and main meal
advertisements.

The present study’s finding shows the use of a ‘Leisure’ setting as a significant marketing tool of the
‘Children’ advertisements of beverage advertisements depicted children engaged in physical activity and
associated the advertised product with athletic ability significantly more than did other advertisements.
The finding that the ‘Children’ advertisements contained significantly more cartoons than did the ‘Non-
Children’ advertisements shows that as compared to adult-focused food advertisements, significantly
more child-focused food advertisements contained promotional characters. Whilst this difference in
findings cannot be attributed to changes in the content of food advertisements over time, it may well be
due to variations in content restrictions across countries study having been conducted in India. The
present study found important theme appeals in children’s food advertisements to be, among others,
those based on nutritional/health properties and those based on fantasy/adventure themes. The
present study’s show that the use of celebrity was present in children’s food advertisements only in
limited cases; that, compared to child-focused food advertisements, adult advertisements used more
theme appeals of price; and that the diet advertised to children was lacking in fresh fruit and vegetables.
The finding that significantly more of the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements used a ‘Shop’ setting than did
the ‘Children’ advertisements may be linked to the finding that ‘Non-Children’ advertisements were
significantly more likely to include price and value claims than were ‘Children’ advertisements.

Surprisingly, more of the ‘Children’ advertisements contained scientific (factual or technical) information
and information relating to potential health benefits and nutritional value of the products than did the
‘Non-Children’ advertisements. This finding may be an indication of advertisers’ increasing openness
about the content (in terms of salt, sugar or fat for instance) and effects of their child-directed food
products. Equally, the finding that significantly 35% of the ‘Children’ advertisements used a ‘Leisure’
setting (one in which central figures are shown in an outdoor setting, being active, taking exercise or
playing sports) than did the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements may also be a positive aspect of these child-
focused advertisements, as this may encourage the young viewers to engage in such activities. One
other possibility for this finding is that advertisers may be trying to equip children with knowledge and
‘arguments’ concerning health benefits of their products to help persuade their parents to buy them.
The findings, however, that most of the ‘Children’ advertisements were for ‘unhealthy’, ‘fast’ and snack
foods as were the ‘Non-Children’ advertisements; that these advertisements were not counter-balanced
by an equal number of ‘healthy’ and ‘non fast’ food advertisements; and that fruit and vegetables were
clearly lacking in the diet advertised to children is clearly a less encouraging finding. The issue is how
best to influence children to adopt healthier eating patterns: through targeting parents and children
educationally or through attempts at legislation through the control/banning of particular
advertisements. This remains a highly politically charged area.

Recommendations:
 Children advertisements should be more of healthy and main meal foods rather than non health
and fast food.
 Parent child interactions should be promoting healthy food products rather than choosing
unhealthy and fast food over healthy foods.
 Children advertisements should use more of cartoons and fantasy based location to more
influence children.
 Non children advertisements should use more of ‘shop area locality’ to highlight price and value
to customers.
 Government should pass on regulations to restrict the advertisements of fast food and
unhealthy items to a prescribed limit.
 More of scientific information should be included in the advertisements so that both children
and adults are aware of the content being consumed by them.

Limitations of study :
 One limitation of this study was that it presented a view of the content and marketing
techniques used to advertise foods on television at one specific point in time.
 Moreover, the relatively small sample size limits the generalizability of the findings.
 Nevertheless, it describes clearly useful and robust coding categories as well as some surprising
results.
 There are also valid criticisms of the content categories.
 Certainly, the omission of the category promotions/competitions may have provided added
insight to this research.