Summary
Background
Unhealthy food marketing is a powerful determinant of unhealthy diets and obesity among children. Although it is known that food marketers target young people on social media, no study has yet quantified children's exposure on these platforms.
Objectives
To compare the frequency and healthfulness of food marketing seen by children and adolescents on social media apps as well as estimate their weekly exposure.
Methods
101 children and adolescents (ages 7‐16 years) completed a survey on their media use and were recorded using their two favourite social media apps for 5 minutes each on the mobile device they usually use. Recordings of app use were reviewed to identify food marketing exposures.
Results
Overall, 72% of participants were exposed to food marketing. Of the 215 food marketing exposures identified, most promoted unhealthy products such as fast food (44%) and sugar‐sweetened beverages (9%). Adolescents viewed more instances of food marketing, on average, per 10‐minute period compared with children (Mean [SD] = 2.6 [2.7] versus 1.4 [2.1], U = 1606, z = 2.94, P = 0.003). It was also estimated that children and adolescents see food marketing 30 and 189 times on average per week on social media apps, respectively.
Conclusions
Statutory regulations restricting unhealthy food marketing to adolescents and children on social media should be considered.
Background: Unhealthy food environments contribute to the rising rates of obesity and diet-related diseases. To improve the Canadian nutritional landscape, Health Canada launched the Healthy Eating Strategy in October 2016 which involved several initiatives including the restriction of unhealthy food marketing to children, the reduction of sodium in the food supply and the introduction of front-of-package labelling. Subsequently, various stakeholders engaged in discussions with Health Canada. This study sought to describe the interactions between Health Canada and industry and non-industry stakeholders and to identify the strategies used by industry to influence food and nutrition policy in Canada.
Methods: Documents such as correspondences and presentations exchanged in interactions between HealthCanada and stakeholders regarding the Healthy Eating Strategy were obtained from Health Canada's Openness and Transparency website. The participating stakeholders of each interaction and the topics discussed were determined and described quantitatively. A directed content analysis was then conducted to identify the strategies employed by industry to influence policy. This was guided by a previously developed coding framework that was adapted during analysis.Results: A total of 208 interactions concerning the Healthy Eating Strategy occurred between October 2016 and June 2018. Of the interactions for which documents were received (n = 202), 56% involved industry stakeholders, 42% involved non-industry stakeholders and 2% involved both. Industry stakeholders were more likely to initiate interactions with Health Canada (94% of their interactions) than non-industry stakeholders (49%). Front-of-package labelling was the most frequently discussed topic by industry stakeholders (discussed in 49% interactions involving industry) while non-industry stakeholders most frequently discussed the Healthy Eating Strategy as a whole (discussed in 37% of interactions involving non-industry). A wide variety of strategies were used by industry in their attempts to influence policy. Those most frequently identified included: "framing the debate on diet-and public health-related issues", "promoting deregulation", "shaping the evidence base", "stressing the economic importance of industry", and "developing and promoting alternatives to proposed policies". Conclusion: Industry stakeholders are highly active in their attempts to influence Canadian nutritional policies. Policymakers and public health advocates should be aware of these strategies so that balanced and effective food and nutrition policies can be developed.
There is a need to identify barriers to participation as well as recruitment strategies to engage minority parents of young children in health-oriented research. This paper offers insights on strategies and challenges in recruiting black immigrant mothers living in Ottawa (Canada) for a community-based health-oriented research project among 6-to-12-year-old children. We recruited 259 mother-child dyads. Most participants were recruited by team members during community events, fairs, religious gatherings, etc. Other successful strategies included referral from participants, community partners, and through research team members' networks. Mass media strategies were mostly ineffective. Instant and meaningful incentives, developing community partnerships, building and ensuring study legitimacy and trust, placing convenience of participants ahead of that of research team members, doing community outreach, and taking contact information on the spot, as well as using word-of-mouth were essential to recruiting. This study clearly indicates the importance of adopting multiple recruitment strategies.
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