Fast-food restaurants are spending more marketing to Black and Hispanic youth. Read on to learn more about how this strategy is slowing down the fight against childhood obesity.
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Childhood obesity is a major problem in the U.S. and the pandemic has made healthy eating even harder. A recent study found kids are now eating more pizza, burgers, fries and other fast-food items than in previous years. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than a whopping third of U.S. kids and teens eat fast food on any given day.
The Study
Research has shown a strong link between childhood obesity rates and increases in fast-food advertisement. New research, recently published by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, found fast-food advertising has really changed over the past few years. The full study details, published in Fast Food FACTS 2021, can be accessed here.
Study Method
Researchers reviewed Neilson data to determine how 274 fast-food restaurants spent their advertising dollars and how often kids were exposed to the ad campaigns. Data from the top 27 fast-food advertisers was also analyzed to better understand how they targeted white, Hispanic and Black consumers under the age of 18. The researchers analysis included:
Advertising spending in all media, including TV, radio, outdoor and digital;
How much children and teens were exposed to TV advertising for fast food;
TV advertising targeted to Black and Hispanic youth, including advertising on Black targeted and Spanish-language TV;
Disproportionate exposure by Black vs. White youth; and
Changes in advertising spending and exposure from 2012 to 2019.
Study Findings
The fast-food industry has made changes to help address the problem of poor diets among U.S. children and teens. These changes include:
Introducing healthier menu items
Healthier choices in kids’ meal side items
Removing soda from kids’ meal menu
Some restaurants have pledged to advertise only healthier items to children
The study findings shed light on the question “Has advertising to youth changed and if restaurants are now advertising healthier menu items?”.
Advertising Not Improved
Researchers found that over the 8 year study period, no significant improvements were made in advertising targeting children or to Hispanic and Black youth. Key findings from 2012 to 2019 include:
Spending on advertisement increased by most restaurants and ads targeting Black and Hispanic youth was even greater.
All youth age groups were exposed to fewer TV ads, but the decline was less than expected.
A high number of restaurants continued to run ads targeting children under 12 on children and preschool TV channels.
Healthy Items Not Promoted
Data analysis revealed restaurants did not live up to their pledge of promoting healthier foods. High-calorie menu items continued to be promoted in ads geared to children in teens. For example:
Low-cost menu items and bundles were advertised 4 to 6 times as much when compared to healthier items.
Spending on Spanish-language and Black targeted TV ads promoting value meals/bundles was higher when compared to total ad budgets.
McDonald’s was the only restaurant that spent more than 1% of its advertising budget to promote healthier kids’ meals.
Other Key Findings
Other study findings found restaurants need to do a much better job of advertising healthy menu options to kids, teens and minority communities. Findings include:
In 2019, fast-food restaurants increased advertising spending by over $400 million dollars compared to 2012.
In 2019, Black preschoolers, youth and teens viewed 75% more fast-food ads compared to their white peers.
A total of 274 fast-food restaurants advertised in 2019. However, approximately 55% of fast-food TV ads aimed at kids and teens were from these 6 restaurants:
Domino’s
McDonalds
Burger King
Taco Bell
Little Caesar’s
Sonic
Recommendations
The study report identified ways the fast-food industry advertise to youth more responsibly. Here are a few recommendations:
Restrict unhealthy food ads to youth 14 years old and older
No longer advertising on preschool and children’s TV channels.
Stop disproportionately promoting unhealthy foods to Black and Hispanic youth.
Policymakers at local, state and federal governments could also play a role by:
Implement policies that set nutrition standards for kids’ meals.
Develop campaigns to increase awareness of advertising that promotes unhealthy foods and targets minority communities.
All of the study’s recommendations can be found here.
How have you seen fast-food advertising impacting our youth negatively over the past year?
