A Content Analysis Of Television Food Advertising To Children: Comparing Low And General-Nutrition Food

Television food advertisements targeted at children were content analysed. Data were collected on four major children's cable television channels in the United States aired during the hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. over the period of 23 August to 5 September 2012. Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion, the study identified a variety of persuasive appeals with central and peripheral cues in the child-targeted food commercials. Further, it investigated how the central and peripheral cues in the appeals were differently associated with low-nutrition and general-nutrition food commercials. Overall, the findings showed that general-nutrition food commercials used persuasive appeals with central cues more frequently than low-nutrition food commercials. Theoretical, practical and regulatory implications are discussed.