Researchers say foods aimed at children deliberately contain too much sugar. Researchers say foods aimed at children contain more sugar and are lower in essential nutrients than other products.
Among the products studied, cereals and pastries have the most attractive marketing for children. Experts believe there is a need for better information among parents and government regulation on the marketing of products aimed at children. Foods marketed to children with the most attractive packaging are often higher in sugar and lower in vital nutrients than those with less attractive packaging. That's according to a Canadian study published today in the journal PLOS ONE.
The researchers examined nearly 6,000 food products relevant to children's diets and found that about 13% of them contained child-appealing packaging, with the potency of these packages varying from product to product.
In general, however, although there is a weak correlation between marketing power and overall nutrient levels, the researchers said that foods that were rated as most appealing to children were higher in sugar, with an average of 14.7 grams versus 9 grams, compared to standard packaging.
Although this study found variability in nutritional quality and composition by food category and nutrient, the results showed that in many cases, products with child-friendly packaging were higher in nutrients of concern, particularly total sugars, free sugars, and sodium, than products with packaging that is not appealing to children," the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa researchers wrote in a news release.
Of all the foods studied, only two categories had more than 50% child-friendly packaging: cereals and toaster pastries. These are the most aggressively marketed products to children.
The study focused specifically on the Canadian food market, but experts believe it is likely that the same processes and conclusions apply to Western countries.
The importance of marketing
How do we determine what is "appealing to children" and what is not? The researchers attempted to answer this question by developing a codified system based on a dozen individual categories. The specific marketing techniques displayed on product packaging vary from one food category to another. However, the basic techniques traditionally used in marketing appeal to children, such as appealing visual design for children, appeals to fun or coolness, and the use of characters remained popular across the sample.
Of course, children don't usually buy cereal or pastries for themselves, but what appeals to children often influences their parents.
"Bullying factor" or "nuisance power" is a term used to describe the influence that children, especially toddlers, and preschoolers, have on their parents' purchasing decisions. Marketers recognize that children can successfully negotiate their purchases by constantly pestering their parents to buy a product they want. The idea is that the more a child asks for a product, the more likely the parent is to give in and make the purchase. This phenomenon is a powerful force in the retail industry, as children can influence their parents purchasing decisions, making them a valuable demographic for businesses to target.
More education and regulation of children's products needed
To curb the marketing of less healthy foods directly to children, the researchers suggested that policymakers implement more aggressive marketing restrictions to protect children.
The researchers propose that groups of parents and paediatricians develop a policy of good practice for marketing to children. Then, parents should only buy from stores and organizations that adhere to this policy. Another solution is to ask the government to regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.
Parents also have a role to play.
For parents, it's about becoming aware of what is really healthy and unhealthy for their children. Learning what these foods can do to your children can help parents understand the seriousness of the situation. It's important to teach your children why some foods are bad and some are good, and to teach them healthy eating habits. Proven policies include adding nutritional information to children's menus in restaurants, for example.