Marketing Sugary Cereals to Children in the Digital Age: A Content Analysis of 17 Child-Targeted Websites

The Institute of Medicine has warned of the harm of food marketing to children from television to new media channels such as the Internet. The authors identified and analyzed the techniques used to engage children on websites from cereal companies—the third largest food marketer to children. The authors found that top breakfast cereal manufacturers maintain child-oriented websites, using strategies unique to the Internet to capture and maintain children's attention. These include branded engagement techniques such as advergames, videos, site registration, and viral marketing, including inviting friends to join the site. The authors found 3 progressive levels of telepresence on child-targeted cereal websites: sites with more than 1 engaging feature, multiple techniques present on individual pages, and the construction of a virtual world. Using Internet traffic data, the authors confirm that these techniques work: cereal marketers reach children online with lengthier and more sophisticated engagements than are possible with traditional, passive media such as television advertisements or product packaging. Despite the cereal manufacturer's self-regulatory pledge to improve their marketing to children, their marketing practices exploit children's susceptibility to advertising by almost exclusively promoting high-sugar cereals using deeply engaging techniques.     

Sexuality Education Websites for Adolescents: A Framework-Based Content Analysis

The web has unique potential for adolescents seeking comprehensive sexual health information. As such, it is important to understand the nature, scope, and readability of the content and messaging provided by sexuality educational websites. We conducted a content analysis of 14 sexuality education websites for adolescents, based on the 7 essential components (sexual and reproductive health and HIV, relationships, sexual rights and sexual citizenship, pleasure, violence, diversity, and gender) of the International Planned Parenthood Framework for Comprehensive Sexuality Education. A majority of content across all sites focused on sexual and reproductive health and HIV, particularly pregnancy and STI prevention, and other information about STIs and HIV. No other topic comprised more than 10% of content coverage across a majority of sites. The authors found little discussion of gender issues, sexual rights, sexual diversity, or sexual violence. Most sites provided brief references to sexual pleasure, generally moderated with cautionary words. Language used implied a heterosexual female audience. Reading levels for most sites were above the 9th-grade level, with several at the college level. These findings have implications for enhancing online sexuality education and broadening the coverage of essential topics.     

Food Marketing to Children on U.S. Spanish-Language Television

Latino children in particular are at risk of childhood obesity. Because exposure to televised food marketing is a contributor to childhood obesity, it is important to examine the nutritional quality of foods advertised on Spanish-language children's programming. The authors analyzed a sample of 158 Spanish-language children's television programs for its advertising content and compared them with an equivalent sample of English-language advertising. The authors evaluated nutritional quality of each advertised product using a food rating system from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, the authors assessed compliance with industry self-regulatory pledges. The authors found that amount of food advertising on Spanish-language channels (M = 2.2 ads/hour) was lower than on English-language programs, but the nutritional quality of food products on Spanish-language channels was substantially poorer than on English channels. Industry self-regulation was less effective on Spanish-language channels. The study provides clear evidence of significant disparities. Food advertising targeted at Spanish-speaking children is more likely to promote nutritionally poor food products than advertising on English-language channels. Industry self-regulation is less effective on Spanish-language television channels. Given the disproportionately high rate of childhood obesity among Latinos, the study's findings hold important implications for public health policy.     

The Nature and Extent of Online Marketing by Big Food and Big Alcohol During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia: Content Analysis Study

BackgroundEmerging evidence demonstrates that obesity is associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Excessive alcohol consumption and “comfort eating” as coping mechanisms during times of high stress have been shown to further exacerbate mental and physical ill-health. Global examples suggest that unhealthy food and alcohol brands and companies are using the COVID-19 pandemic to further market their products. However, there has been no systematic, in-depth analysis of how “Big Food” and “Big Alcohol” are capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic to market their products and brands.ObjectiveWe aimed to quantify the extent and nature of online marketing by alcohol and unhealthy food and beverage companies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.MethodsWe conducted a content analysis of all COVID-19-related social media posts made by leading alcohol and unhealthy food and beverage brands (n=42) and their parent companies (n=12) over a 4-month period (February to May 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.ResultsNearly 80% of included brands and all parent companies posted content related to COVID-19 during the 4-month period. Quick service restaurants (QSRs), food and alcohol delivery companies, alcohol brands, and bottle shops were the most active in posting COVID-19-related content. The most common themes for COVID-19-related marketing were isolation activities and community support. Promotion of hygiene and home delivery was also common, particularly for QSRs and alcohol and food delivery companies. Parent companies were more likely to post about corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as donations of money and products, and to offer health advice.ConclusionsThis is the first study to show that Big Food and Big Alcohol are incessantly marketing their products and brands on social media platforms using themes related to COVID-19, such as isolation activities and community support. Parent companies are frequently posting about CSR initiatives, such as donations of money and products, thereby creating a fertile environment to loosen current regulation or resist further industry regulation. “COVID-washing” by large alcohol brands, food and beverage brands, and their parent companies is both common and concerning. The need for comprehensive regulations to restrict unhealthy food and alcohol marketing, as recommended by the World Health Organization, is particularly acute in the COVID-19 context and is urgently required to “build back better” in a post-COVID-19 world.     

Food and Beverage Brands That Market to Children and Adolescents on the Internet: A Content Analysis of Branded Web Sites

ObjectiveTo identify food and beverage brand Web sites featuring designated children's areas, assess marketing techniques present on those industry Web sites, and determine nutritional quality of branded food items marketed to children.DesignSystematic content analysis of food and beverage brand Web sites and nutrient analysis of food and beverages advertised on these Web sites.SettingThe World Wide Web.ParticipantsOne-hundred thirty Internet Web sites of food and beverage brands with top media expenditures based on the America's Top 2000 Brands section of Brandweek magazine's annual “Superbrands” report.Main Outcome MeasuresA standardized content analysis rating form to determine marketing techniques used on the food and beverage brand Web sites. Nutritional analysis of food brands was conducted.ResultsOf 130 Web sites analyzed, 48% featured designated children's areas. These Web sites featured a variety of Internet marketing techniques, including advergaming on 85% of the Web sites and interactive programs on 92% of the Web sites. Branded spokescharacters and tie-ins to other products were featured on the majority of the Web sites, as well. Few food brands (13%) with Web sites that market to children met the nutrition criteria set by the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity.Conclusions and ImplicationsNearly half of branded Web sites analyzed used designated children's areas to market food and beverages to children, 87% of which were of low nutritional quality. Nutrition professionals should advocate the use of advertising techniques to encourage healthful food choices for children.     

Obesity Stigma in Online News: A Visual Content Analysis

This study conducted a content analysis to examine the types of images that accompany online news stories about obesity and to determine how obese people are portrayed in news photographs. Images were selected from news articles about obesity obtained from 5 major news Web sites, during a 2-week period in September of 2009. Images accompanying news stories about obesity (N = 549) were systematically coded. Of 441 individuals identified in news photographs, 65% were overweight/obese and 27% were nonoverweight. Overall, 72% of images that depicted an overweight or obese person were portrayed in a negative, stigmatizing manner. Overweight/obese individuals were significantly more likely to have their heads cut out of the photos, to be portrayed showing only their abdomens or lower bodies, and to be shown eating or drinking than were nonoverweight individuals. Overweight/obese individuals were significantly less likely to be shown fully clothed, wearing professional clothing, or exercising than were nonoverweight individuals. Obese individuals are frequently stigmatized in online news photographs; this phenomenon has important implications for public perceptions of obese persons and may reinforce pervasive prejudice and discrimination.     

Television Food Advertising to Children: A Global Perspective

Objectives. We compared television food advertising to children in several countries.Methods. We undertook a collaboration among 13 research groups in Australia, Asia, Western Europe, and North and South America. Each group recorded programming for 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days between 6:00 and 22:00, for the 3 channels most watched by children, between October 2007 and March 2008. We classified food advertisements as core (nutrient dense, low in energy), noncore (high in undesirable nutrients or energy, as defined by dietary standards), or miscellaneous. We also categorized thematic content (promotional characters and premiums).Results. Food advertisements composed 11% to 29% of advertisements. Noncore foods were featured in 53% to 87% of food advertisements, and the rate of noncore food advertising was higher during children''s peak viewing times. Most food advertisements containing persuasive marketing were for noncore products.Conclusions. Across all sampled countries, children were exposed to high volumes of television advertising for unhealthy foods, featuring child-oriented persuasive techniques. Because of the proven connections between food advertising, preferences, and consumption, our findings lend support to calls for regulation of food advertising during children''s peak viewing times.Excess weight in children is a significant global public health issue: 10% of school-aged children,¹ and a further 22 million children younger than 5 years,² are estimated to be overweight or obese. Although the absolute prevalence of childhood obesity varies between and within countries,³ obesity levels are rising across the globe.⁴Food marketing to children has been recognized as 1 factor contributing to the obesity-promoting environment, and it is considered an important arena for action in the prevention of obesity.⁵ Systematic reviews have found that marketing generates positive beliefs about advertised foods and influences children''s food preferences, purchase requests, and consumption.^6–8 These findings are a concern because advertised foods are typically the antithesis of dietary recommendations.⁹Evidence from psychological research indicates that children, particularly those younger than 8 years, are not fully aware of the persuasive intent of food marketing and tend to accept advertising as truthful, accurate, and unbiased.^8,10 Older children, although they may understand that advertising is intended to sell a product, may not be able to interpret these messages critically.¹⁰Only a few studies have compared international patterns of television food advertising to children. One of these found that food and beverages were the most highly advertised products and that confectionery, presugared breakfast cereals and fast-food restaurants accounted for over half of all food advertisements.¹¹Analyses of persuasive marketing techniques, such as the use of promotional characters and premiums in television advertising from individual countries, have found them to be concentrated in advertisements for unhealthy food products and during the broadcast periods most popular with children. An Australian study found that the rate of unhealthy food advertisements containing premiums was 18 times as high and the rate of advertisements containing promotional characters was twice as high during the most popular children''s programs as during adults'' popular programs.¹²We determined and compared the frequency and nature of television food advertising to children in a range of countries. We also assessed food advertising during children''s peak viewing periods and the use of persuasive marketing techniques.     

Poverty in Books for Young Children: A Content Analysis

The study examined how poverty is depicted in books for young children. Ethical considerations warrant that we become aware of the messages found in books about poverty. These messages have the potential for influencing children's belief systems, and may or may not promote democratic values. Eighteen books were coded using a schema comprised of 9 categories (occupation, income, employment, unemployment, race, ethnicity, geographic locale, education, and family structure). Findings revealed that the nine categories appeared in the books. Some findings diverged from demographic trends (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1994), others depicted poverty accurately. The discussion highlights the most meaningful patterns found in the data, and makes suggestions for future research.     

Dating in the Digital Age: A Content Analysis of Dating Websites Designed for Disabled People

Sexuality and Disability - In our current collective sexual sphere, a range of digital sexual fields, such as mobile applications and dating websites, provide new opportunities for sexual actors to...     

2010年自贡市市售食品汞含量调查

目的了解自贡市范围内市售各种食品中汞的污染情况,探讨污染来源,并提出相应的预防和控制措施。方法按照统一方法,在全市主要农贸市场及超市随机抽样检测,共采集了8类127份食品,进行汞的监测检验。结果共获得127个有效检测数据,其中有6份食品的汞含量超过国家卫生标准,超标率0.7%。结论自贡市售大部分食品汞含量符合国家卫生标准,但有少数食品受到不同程度的汞污染。     

An Analysis of Bronx-based Online Grocery Store Circulars for Nutritional Content of Food and Beverage Products

With the rising rates of diabetes and obesity in New York City’s poorest communities, efforts to assist low-income residents in spending money to promote nutritious food consumption have increased. The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which Bronx-based grocery stores offered nutritious foods on sale through their weekly circulars. Over a 2-month period, we analyzed 2,311 food and beverage products placed on the first page of online circulars for fifteen Bronx-based grocery stores. For each circular, we recorded the number of starchy and non-starchy fruits and vegetables; for each product, total fiber and carbohydrate content per serving (in grams), whether the product was processed, and sale price were recorded. Total sugar content (in grams) was recorded for all sugar-sweetened beverages. Over 84 % of the products were processed, and almost 40 % had at least one carbohydrate choice (15 g) per food serving. Only 16.5 % of the products were fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables, and 1.4 % had fiber content of 5 or more grams per serving. Requiring the purchase of multiples of unhealthy products to receive the sale price was also noted. Almost three-quarters of the sugar-sweetened beverages were advertised with promotional sales compared to over half of the fresh fruits and only one-third of fresh vegetables. We identified no other studies that address nutritional content of foods found in grocery store circulars. More research is necessary to determine if purchasing nutritious products at grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods is influenced by sale prices.     

Official Websites Providing Information on COVID-19 Vaccination: Readability and Content Analysis

BackgroundOnline information on COVID-19 vaccination may influence people’s perception and willingness to be vaccinated. Official websites of vaccination programs have not been systematically assessed before.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess and compare the readability and content quality of web-based information on COVID-19 vaccination posted on official/governmental websites. Furthermore, the relationship between evaluated website parameters and country vaccination rates were calculated.MethodsBy referring to an open data set hosted at Our World in Data, the 58 countries/regions with the highest total vaccination count as of July 8, 2021, were identified. Together with the websites from the World Health Organization and European Union, a total of 60 vaccination campaign websites were targeted. The “frequently asked questions” or “questions and answers” section of the websites were evaluated in terms of readability (Flesch Reading Ease score and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level), quality (Health On the Net Foundation code [HONcode] certification and Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool), and content stating vaccination duration of protection and potential side effects.ResultsIn terms of readability, the Flesch Reading Ease score of the vaccination frequently asked questions websites ranged between 11.2 and 69.5, with a mean of 40.9 (SD 13.2). Meanwhile, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level ranged between 6.5 and 17.6, with a mean of 12.1 (SD 2.8). In terms of quality, only 2 websites were HONcode certified, and the Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool score of the websites ranged between 7 and 20, with a mean of 15.3 (SD 3.1). Half of the websites (25/50) did not present a publication date or date of the last update. Regarding the duration of protection offered by the vaccines, 46% (23/50) of the websites stated that they do not know, and another 40% (20/50) did not address it. Five side effects of the vaccinations were most frequently mentioned, namely, fever/chill (41/50, 82%), various injection site discomfort events (eg, swelling, redness, or pain; 39/50, 78%), headache (36/50, 72%), fatigue (33/50, 66%), and muscle/joint pain (31/50, 62%).ConclusionsIn general, the content quality of most of the evaluated websites was good, but HONcode certification should be considered, content should be written in a more readable manner, and a publication date or date of the last update should be presented.     

Food Advertising and Marketing Directed at Children and Adolescents in the US

In recent years, the food and beverage industry in the US has viewed children and adolescents as a major market force. As a result, children and adolescents are now the target of intense and specialized food marketing and advertising efforts. Food marketers are interested in youth as consumers because of their spending power, their purchasing influence, and as future adult consumers. Multiple techniques and channels are used to reach youth, beginning when they are toddlers, to foster brand-building and influence food product purchase behavior. These food marketing channels include television advertising, in-school marketing, product placements, kids clubs, the Internet, toys and products with brand logos, and youth-targeted promotions, such as cross-selling and tie-ins. Foods marketed to children are predominantly high in sugar and fat, and as such are inconsistent with national dietary recommendations. The purpose of this article is to examine the food advertising and marketing channels used to target children and adolescents in the US, the impact of food advertising on eating behavior, and current regulation and policies.     

Evaluating the Communication of Online Social Support: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Structure and Content

ABSTRACT

Social support in online self-help groups has been found to benefit participants with emotional instability or mental illness. Many studies have employed content analysis to reveal categories of social support, claiming the prevalence of emotional and informational support can aid support seekers. In the studies, optimal matching theory is used to explain the helpfulness of these types of support. This article argues that content analysis is unpersuasive in its claim that support seekers benefit from social support; participants’ communicative behaviors should also be considered to evaluate the potential advantages and drawbacks of such groups. Drawing on a mixed-method approach of conversation analysis and content analysis, this study investigates the sequential structure and content of social support in communication in six online self-help groups for anxiety and depression (OSGADs). The main findings show that optimal matching theory may not be suitable for elucidating how support seekers receive help due to the immediate provision of social support and little interaction otherwise. In addition, results identify expressed understanding/empathy and advice as prominent support categories in OSGADs, with most thread openers requesting support indirectly.     

Slimming Company Websites in Hong Kong: Implications for Women's Health

This study sought to investigate, with a focus on the Hong Kong context, how commercial slimming websites portray the body image of beauty to the public, and to explore practical implications for related public health practices and health policy formulation. Commercial entities in the Hong Kong slimming industry were retrieved from the Hong Kong Yellow Page Directory and Yahoo Hong Kong Directory, and selected websites were coded and further analyzed. We found that irresponsible tactics are used in the slimming industry such that irresponsible messages prevail. Collaborative efforts from multidisciplinary sectors are needed to tackle the situation.     

Pharmaceutical Company Websites as Sources of Information for Consumers

Although the advantages of disseminating health information on the world wide web are well recognized, there has been considerable concern about the quality of online information. There has also been some debate as to whether organizations with a vested interest in a product, such as pharmaceutical companies, can provide balanced and appropriate information on the web. However, there is very little published information about the content, quality or impact of pharmaceutical websites. This paper considers the issues, arguments and empirical evidence for and against the practice of direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies. It also describes a selected set of pharmaceutical company sites that provide consumer information about major public health problems or about health conditions corresponding to frequently used search engine terms. The pharmaceutical sites surveyed were characterized both by positive attributes (such as a breadth and depth of information, specification of medication adverse effects, and inclusion of potentially useful consumer aids such as symptom diaries and screening tests) and negative features (such as failure to disclose authorship and scientific sources, failure to provide clear and accessible information about the absolute and relative efficacy of the treatments mentioned, and absence of an editorial board or independent review process).We note that these attributes are not necessarily indicative of the quality of the content or the utility of websites and argue that there is a need for systematic studies comparing the accuracy of the content of pharmaceutical sites and nonpharmaceutical sites. Such studies would need to be conducted by content experts using evidence-based information as a gold standard. Many consumers are not in a position to assess the quality of the content of pharmaceutical sites and do not place a high level of trust in pharmaceutical companies. We suggest that it might be in the interests of the companies to encourage the independent review and certification of their sites. A consortium of companies could contribute funds to an independent authority that in turn could contract third party content evaluators to undertake quality assessments of pharmaceutical sites. In the future, initiatives such as the MedCERTAIN collaboration might provide consumers with certification information on a range of health sites including pharmaceutical websites. Not only would such evaluations provide a means for consumers to identify high quality sites, they might also assist pharmaceutical companies to optimize the quality and credibility of the health information they provide on the web.     

Effects of Information about Fat Content on Food Preferences in Pre-adolescent Children

The acceptance and sensory characteristics of standard and reduced-fat cookies were evaluated either with or without fat-content information by pre-adolescent children. Results indicate that acceptance ratings were not affected by the fat content or information about fat content when evaluated on nine-point scales. However, when asked to choose which cookie they liked better and to predict how many cookies they would eat (in forced-choice questions), fat content and information about fat content had a significant effect on cookie preference and prospective intake. When no information was available, subjects preferred the cookie with the higher fat content; when information was presented, subjects' preference shifted to the reduced-fat cookie. When asked which cookie they would choose to eat for dessert with hypothetical lunches, a similar shift in choice was observed following a low-fat lunch. The low-fat label was also associated with an increase in perceived healthiness relative to the high-fat label, as indicated on “good for me” scales. The effects of fat content information on cookie preference and prospective consumption were seen in pre-adolescents who indicated a “high concern” for the health consequences of dietary fat. Cookie preference and prospective intake of subjects who indicated a “low concern” were not affected by fat content labeling. Results suggest that fat content and information about fat content may affect food preference and intake in pre-adolescent children.