title: Effects of exposure to direct-to-consumer television advertising for statin drugs on food and exercise guilt.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is widely prevalent on US television. This study tests the relationship between estimated exposure to DTCA for statin drugs, which often feature mixed messages about the efficacy of diet and exercise in reducing risk of cholesterol and heart disease, and guilty feelings regarding food and exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of repeated cross-sectional surveys of the US population between 2001 and 2007 (N=106,859 adults aged 18 and older) were combined with data on the frequency of DTCA appearances on national, cable, and local television during the same time period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusting for potential confounders with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, increased potential exposure to statin DTCA was associated with increased food guilt (in a dose-response pattern) and exercise guilt (in a threshold pattern).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides new evidence that DTCA has potential to influence emotional well-being as well as direct behavioral responses emphasized in previous academic research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health practitioners should be prepared to encounter and counsel patients who are prompted by DTCA to feel guilty about their food and exercise behaviors, feelings which may impact the likelihood of adherence to prescribed behavioral modification for weight management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kruger
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA. Electronic address: jdn56@cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niederdeppe
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.
authors.forename: Sahara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.affiliation: Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.
authors.forename: Rosemary J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Avery
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D000067088:Direct-to-Consumer Advertising; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013690:Television; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
keywords: Diet; Direct-to-consumer-advertising; Exercise; Health communication; Media