The Impact of Marketing and Advertising on Food Behaviours: Evaluating the Evidence for a Causal Relationship
The prevention of overweight in childhood is paramount to long term heart health. Food marketing predominately promotes unhealthy products which, if over consumed, will lead to overweight. International health expert calls for further restriction of children's exposure to food marketing remain relatively unheeded, with a lack of evidence showing a causal link between food marketing and children's dietary behaviours and obesity an oft cited reason for this policy inertia. This direct link is difficult to measure and quantify with a multiplicity of determinants contributing to dietary intake and the development of overweight. The Bradford Hill Criteria provide a credible framework by which epidemiological studies may be examined to consider whether a causal interpretation of an observed association is valid. This paper draws upon current evidence that examines the relationship between food marketing, across a range of different media, and children's food behaviours, and appraises these studies against Bradford Hill's causality framework.
Current Nutrition Reports