Vani R. Henderson, MSc, Public Policy Center, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215-573-3097, vhenderson@asc.upenn.edu and Bridget Kelly, MPH, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Among the components of the environment hypothesized to contribute to obesity is exposure to television advertisements for nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods. We analyzed 553 food advertisements that aired during 101.5 hours of general market and African-American primetime television. There were significantly more food ads overall during African American shows (7.94/hour versus 4.77/hour for general market programming, p<0.001), and significantly more ads for fast food chains during African American programming as compared to general market programming (54% vs. 32%, p<0.001). Further, African American-targeted programs contained significantly more ads for soft drinks, while general market shows featured significantly more ads for cereals/grains, fruits, vegetables and juices and alcohol. Since some food advertisements promote products that can lead to weight loss, we also assessed the prevalence of nutritional claims around fat, sugar, calorie and carbohydrate content in the ads, as well as claims about the product being "light" or "lean." Only 14.9% of food ads analyzed made one of these claims. More claims related to fat content (e.g., low fat or quantity of fat) were made in ads appearing in African American programming, while more light/lean claims appeared in general market ads. There were no differences between the two markets in prevalence of claims about sugar, calories or carbohydrates. Public policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the prevalence and types of food advertisements aired during primetime television programming, and how this differs by racial market.
• Articulate the manner and frequency with which advertisers are currently promoting products with general claims, such as “light” or “lean” and specific claims about fat content, calories, and carbohydrates.
• Discuss how exposure to food advertisements can shape food preferences and thus contribute to obesity and overweight.

Keywords: Obesity, Media

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.