The role of food culture and marketing activity in health disparities.
Marketing activities have attracted increased attention from scholars interested in racial disparities in obesity prevalence, as well as the prevalence of other preventable conditions. Although reducing the marketing of nutritionally poor foods to racial/ethnic communities would represent a significant step forward in eliminating racial disparities in health, we focus instead on a critical-related question. What is the relationship between marketing activities, food culture, and health disparities? This commentary posits that food culture shapes the demand for food and the meaning attached to particular foods, preparation styles, and eating practices, while marketing activities shape the overall environment in which food choices are made. We build on prior research that explores the socio-cultural context in which marketing efforts are perceived and interpreted. We discuss each element of the marketing mix to highlight the complex relationship between food culture, marketing activities, and health disparities.
Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick, NJ 07102, USA. jeromew@business.rutgers.edu
Jerome D
JD
Williams
David
D
Crockett
Robert L
RL
Harrison
Kevin D
KD
Thomas
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D019649:Food Industry; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology