Cited by 948Media Influence and HealthNutrition, Health and Food BehaviorConsumer Attitudes and Food Labeling

Priming effects of television food advertising on eating behavior.

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Harris, Jennifer L., Bargh, John A., Brownell, Kelly D.·2009·Health Psychology

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Health advocates have focused on the prevalence of advertising for calorie-dense low-nutrient foods as a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic. This research tests the hypothesis that exposure to food advertising during TV viewing may also contribute to obesity by triggering automatic snacking of available food. DESIGN: In Experiments 1a and 1b, elementary-school-age children watched a cartoon that contained either food advertising or advertising for other products and received a snack while watching. In Experiment 2, adults watched a TV program that included food advertising that promoted snacking and/or fun product benefits, food advertising that promoted nutrition benefits, or no food advertising. The adults then tasted and evaluated a range of healthy to unhealthy snack foods in an apparently separate experiment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Amount of snack foods consumed during and after advertising exposure. RESULTS: Children consumed 45% more when exposed to food advertising. Adults consumed more of both healthy and unhealthy snack foods following exposure to snack food advertising compared to the other conditions. In both experiments, food advertising increased consumption of products not in the presented advertisements, and these effects were not related to reported hunger or other conscious influences. CONCLUSION: These experiments demonstrate the power of food advertising to prime automatic eating behaviors and thus influence far more than brand preference alone.

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  • Thus far, there are mixed results in terms of the potential impacts of menu labeling and marketing regulations on eating behavior.

    “Both of these approaches address consumers’ access to information about food, and thus far, there are mixed results in terms of the potential impacts of these strategies on eating behavior [10-23].”

    From Healthier side dishes at restaurants: an analysis of children's perspectives, menu content, and energy impacts (2014) · cites this paper as [17]

    The General Discussion (Defending against advertising influence; page unavailable) suggests that reducing exposure to unhealthy food advertising could benefit eating behavior. But the paper does not evaluate menu labeling or report mixed results for menu-labeling and marketing regulations; its experiments test exposure to television ads, not regulatory strategies. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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  • Several recent policy approaches are congruent with the goal of promoting healthier eating in restaurants, including regulations focused on menu labeling and marketing.

    “Several recent policy approaches are congruent with the goal of promoting healthier eating in restaurants, including regulations focused on menu labeling and marketing.”

    From Healthier side dishes at restaurants: an analysis of children's perspectives, menu content, and energy impacts (2014) · cites this paper as [17]

    The General Discussion ('Defending against advertising influence'; page unavailable) says reducing unhealthy food advertising is urgently needed and notes industry self-regulation of advertising to children. It does not discuss restaurant eating, menu labeling, or the recent regulations described in the claim. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Council of Better Business Bureaus 2006 New food, beverage initiative to focus kids’ ads on healthy choices; Revised guidelines strengthen CARU’s guidance to food advertisers Press release, 14 Nov. 2006. Accessed at http://www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=728 on 8/16/07
  2. Institute of Medicine McGinnis JM Gootman J Kraak VI 2006 National Academy of Sciences, Committee on Food Marketing and the Diets of Children and Youth Food marketing to children and youth: Threat or opportunity? Wash, DC National Academies Press

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Authors
Harris, J. L., Bargh, J. A., & Brownell, K. D.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Venue
Health Psychology
Published
2009
Volume
28
Issue
4
Pages
404-413
ISSN
  • 0278-6133 (ISSN-L)
  • 1930-7810
OpenAlex
W2135279230
Cited by
945
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 55 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 49 · 2017: 63 · 2016: 87 · 2015: 88 · 2014: 78 · 2013: 74 · 2012: 54
FWCI
966.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH60767)
  • Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
Keywords
food advertising, television advertising, dietary habits, snacking, obesity, priming, children, snack food consumption
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Advertising, Energy Intake, Child, Cues, Diet, Reducing, Feeding Behavior, Female, Food, Food Preferences, Humans, Male, Nutrition Surveys, Nutritive Value, Obesity, Television, Young Adult

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