title: Influence of Television Advertising on Behavior of Children across Socioeconomic Backgrounds.
abstract: This research analyzed the influence of television on the behavior of children belonging to urban and rural socioeconomic backgrounds of Bhopal city and its vicinity.
  
  
  
  About 400 parents with children between 1 and 18 years of age were subjected to a self-designed questionnaire, which sought information regarding the television viewing habits of children. Differences in responses were noted between the subjects of urban and rural areas. Obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson's chi-square test to determine the level of significance.
  
  
  
  The urban class showed a dominating pattern in the positive aspects of television viewing, such as significantly better awareness of oral health, more emphasis shown toward oral care adverts, and a higher knowledge of the cause of dental caries. However, the urban class also possessed a poor attitude; the appearance of a dentist on television did not remind them about oral needs, products with gifts pleased their children to a greater extent, they had more demanding children, parents fulfilled their children's demand more, and they relied on the self for selection of toothpaste. Overall, in all aspects, the rural class lacked significantly.
  
  
  
  Television exerts a positive as well as negative influence on children's behavior among urban and rural communities, with the influence being more obvious in the urban class.
  
  
  
  The results of this study can be utilized in bringing about better and effective advertising oriented toward attaining optimum oral health of children; overall general health through adverts that discourage obesogenic diet and promote a diet rich in protein and fiber can also be focused on.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, RKDF Dental College and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, Phone: +917898488813 e-mail: rachanabahuguna71@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rachana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahuguna
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics RKDF Dental College and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Atul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, RKDF Dental College and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suryavanshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, RKDF Dental College and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Hemlata
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Saraswati Dental College and Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Suleiman A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, RKDF Dental College and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Ruchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thakur
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003729:Dental Care; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D009909:Oral Health; D012424:Rural Population; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Children's behavior; Food promotion; Oral health; Television advertising Urban and rural.