Author/Editor		Lavriša, Živa; Pravst, Igor
Title		Television food advertising to children in Slovenia
Type		članek
Vol. and No.		Letnik 61, št. 9
Publication year		2016
Volume		str. 1049-1057
ISSN		1661-8564 - International journal of public health
Language		eng
Abstract		Objectives: The marketing of energy-dense foods is recognised as a probable causal factor in children's overweight and obesity. To stimulate policymakers to start using nutrient profiling to restrict food marketing, a harmonised model was recently proposed by the WHO. Our objective is to evaluate the television advertising of foods in Slovenia using the above-mentioned model. Methods: An analysis is performed using a representative dataset of 93,902 food-related advertisements broadcast in Slovenia in year 2013. The advertisements are linked to specific foods, which are then subject to categorisation according to the WHO and UK nutrient profile model. Results: Advertising of chocolate and confectionery represented 37% of food-related advertising in all viewing times, and 77% in children's (4-9 years) viewing hours. During these hours, 96% of the food advertisements did not pass the criteria for permitted advertising according to the WHO profile model. Conclusions: Evidence from Slovenia shows that, in the absence of efficient regulatory marketing restrictions, television advertising of food to children is almost exclusively linked to energy-dense foods. Minor modifications of the proposed WHO nutrient profile model are suggested.
Keywords		food advertising nutrient profile regulation children television marketing