title: Content Analysis of Food and Beverages Advertisements Targeting Children and Adults on Television in Sri Lanka.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food marketing is one of the main factors in the increase in childhood obesity. The objective is to compare the strategies used for promotion of food and beverages advertisements on Sri Lankan television for children and adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 16 analog television channels in Sri Lanka, 50% of the channels were selected randomly after stratifying according to language. Recording was during weekdays and weekends. In total, 95 different food and beverages advertisements were analyzed irrespective of the channel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all food and beverages-related advertisements, 78% were child focused, and among these 74% claimed health benefits. A statistically significant difference was found in terms of implications related to nutrition or health (P < .05). None of the advertisements contained disclaimers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Ministry of Health needs to pursue all food and beverages-focused advertisements for policy formulation and implementation.
authors.affiliation: University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka shamini@sjp.ac.lk.
authors.forename: Shamini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prathapan
authors.affiliation: University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Kumudu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wijewardena
authors.affiliation: University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wah Yun
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Low
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013690:Television
keywords: disclaimers; food and beverages advertisements; strategies