Mary Story, PhD RD, Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, 612-626-8801, story@epi.umn.edu

Children and adolescents are currently exposed to an increasing and unprecedented amount of food and beverage advertising, marketing, and commercialism through a wide range of venues. Food and beverage marketers are interested in children and adolescents as consumers because they spend their own money, have household influence, and are future adult consumers. It is estimated that the advertising industry spends $2 billion a year on advertisements targeting children, a 20-fold increase from 1990. Multiple techniques and channels are used to reach youth, beginning when they are toddlers, to foster brand-building and influence food product purchase behavior. Food manufacturers spend over $7 billion in advertising each year and most of this is focused on highly processed foods, high in sugar and fat. The advertised diet contrasts sharply with what nutrition experts recommend for good health for children. Several recent scientific reviews have concluded that food marketing has an effect on children’s preferences, purchase behavior and consumption. This session will present an overview on marketing and advertising aimed at children and review the research on impact of advertising and promotions on children’s eating behaviors and weight status.

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