Development of a Teen-Informed Coding Tool to Measure the Power of Food Advertisements
1
Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
2
Children’s Health Research Institute, London, ON N6C 2V5, Canada
3
Department of Geography, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
4
School of Planning, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
5
DAN Department of Management and Organizational Studies, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
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School of Health Studies, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
7
Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
8
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(21), 4258; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214258
Received: 27 September 2019 / Revised: 30 October 2019 / Accepted: 31 October 2019 / Published: 2 November 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Promotion: Physical Activity and Nutrition Behaviors in Children and Youth)
The food-related information environment, comprised of food and beverage advertising within one’s surroundings, is a growing concern for adolescent health given that food marketing disproportionately targets adolescents. Despite strong public interest concerning the effects of food marketing on child health, there is limited evidence focused on outdoor food advertising in relation to teenage diets, food purchasing, and perceptions. Further, limited research has considered both the exposure to and influence of such advertisements. This study used a novel multi-method approach to identify and quantify the features of outdoor food and beverage advertisements that are most effective at drawing teenagers into retail food establishments. An environmental audit of outdoor advertisements and consultations with youth were used to: (1) identify teen-directed food marketing techniques; (2) validate and weigh the power of individual advertising elements; and, (3) develop a teen-informed coding tool to measure the power of food-related advertisements. Results indicate that marketing power is a function of the presence and size of teen-directed advertisement features, and the relative nature of each feature is an important consideration. This study offers a quantitative measurement tool for food environment research and urges policymakers to consider teen-directed marketing when creating healthy communities.
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Keywords:
food; food environment; information environment; advertising; marketing; food purchasing; adolescent; youth; public health
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MDPI and ACS Style
Bowman, D.D.; Minaker, L.M.; Simpson, B.J.K.; Gilliland, J.A. Development of a Teen-Informed Coding Tool to Measure the Power of Food Advertisements. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 4258. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214258
AMA Style
Bowman DD, Minaker LM, Simpson BJK, Gilliland JA. Development of a Teen-Informed Coding Tool to Measure the Power of Food Advertisements. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(21):4258. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214258
Chicago/Turabian StyleBowman, Drew D.; Minaker, Leia M.; Simpson, Bonnie J.K.; Gilliland, Jason A. 2019. "Development of a Teen-Informed Coding Tool to Measure the Power of Food Advertisements" Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 16, no. 21: 4258. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214258
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