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

Abstract

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.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant to the first two authors from the Healthy Eating Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Notes

¹The Sorpresa network does not apply V-chip ratings to its programming. However, the channel markets itself as the only Spanish-language cable network in the United States that targets children 2–17 years of age (Sorpresa, 2009). All programs airing between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. that were judged to be clearly targeted at children 2–12 years of age were included in the sample.

Note. Differing subscripts within rows denote significantly different means using a t test, p < .05. < .05.

Note. Differing subscripts within rows denote significantly different frequencies at p < .05; this is based on z values ≥ ± 1.96.