Content of Food Advertising for Young Adolescents on Television.
BACKGROUND
Food related advertisements on television may have a major influence on the dietary habits and obesity among young adolescents.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the frequency and typology of food advertisements on most popular television channels, watched by school-going young adolescents in Delhi.


METHODS
Biphasic study to (a) identify the three television channels most frequently watched by administering a questionnaire to 400 school going young adolescents; and (b) view each of these channels for 2 hours per day for 6 days each, and observe the content of advertisements related to foods, beverages, and food outlets.


RESULTS
Four hundred and three food related advertisements were viewed over 36 hour on Discovery, MTV and Disney Channels. Among 235 food related advertisements 163 (69.3%) pertained to candies, chocolates and confectionary and 35 (14.8%) to salty snacks. Sugar sweetened soft drinks contributed 90 of 106 (85%) of beverage advertisements. Of 62 advertisements related to food outlets, 59 were of fast food joints.


CONCLUSIONS
Majority of food advertising content on television most commonly watched by young adolescents is related to unhealthy foods and beverages, igh in energy and low in micronutrient content.
University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India.
Setu
S
Gupta
University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India.
Swati
S
Kalra
University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India.
Jaya Shankar
JS
Kaushik
University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India.
Piyush
P
Gupta
India; food advertisement; television; young adolescents