Is there a link between advertising unhealthy food and childhood obesity? That was the question explored by Master of Commerce in Marketing graduate Mr Tasvir Bissoon.
His study was titled: Unhealthy Food Advertising to South African Children through Television: A Content Analysis Aimed to Determine the Extent to which Children in South Africa are Exposed to Unhealthy Food Advertisements on Television as well as the Advertising Appeals and Promotional Strategies used by Advertisers of Such Foods in an Effort to Appeal to Children.
Said Bissoon: ‘The findings of my investigation show that 67% of food-related advertisements involved unhealthy foods. Furthermore, fast foods were the most frequently advertised unhealthy food category. Therefore, this study serves as a rationale for the implementation of stronger regulations for food advertising to children in South Africa.’
Supervised by Dr Aradhna Arbee, the research was completed against the backdrop of the World Health Organization (WHO) identifying the extensive advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages as a factor contributing significantly to childhood obesity. Furthermore, WHO recently published a set of nutritional criteria known as the WHO/Europe Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) aimed at protecting children from marketing that promotes unhealthy food and non-alcoholic beverages. However, there is a lack of research on this issue specifically focusing on South Africa.
‘According to research, in 2020 one in eight African children were either overweight or obese. The South African government has yet to establish a law that tackles the issue of food advertising to children,’ said Bissoon.
He added that the study served as a rationale for the implementation of stronger regulations for food advertising to children in South Africa.
‘This research also revealed that South African children are exposed to more unhealthy foods on free-to-air television than on subscription-based television,’ said Bissoon. ‘This indicates that middle-to-low-income households view advertisements for unhealthy foods more regularly than middle-to-high-income households. Incorporating such channels could also point to the types of television and audiences that the proposed legislation would need to focus on.’
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini