I wish I could do this one in Spanish, but it will be in English. The preliminary program for the meeting is here. Register for it here.
by Marion Nestle
Feb
16
2022
WHO report on food marketing
The World Health Organization has just published “Food marketing exposure and power and their associations with food-related attitudes, beliefs and behaviours: a narrative review”
This is an update of a review WHO published in 2009 on the extent, nature and effects of food marketing.
The update includes a review of studies from 2009 to 2020 of
- Where food marketing occurs
- How much there is,
- Which brands and products are marketed
- How they are marketed
- How consumers react to food marketing
The report, which covers digital and social media, concludes
Food marketing remains prevalent
- It is especially prevalent where children are and what they watch on TV
- It predominantly promotes “fast food”, sugar-sweetened beverages, and chocolate and confectionery
- It uses a wide range of creative strategies aimed at young audiences (celebrity/sports endorsements, promotional characters, games)
- Its exposure is positively associated with habitual consumption of marketed foods or less healthy foods
The report confirms what advocates have been saying for years
- Food marketing is pervasive
- Food marketing is persuasive
- Food marketing is bad for health
The bottom line: Food marketing, especially to children, must be stopped