Compliance of Parenting Magazines Advertisements with American Academy of Pediatrics Recommendations

Abstract

This study examined 3218 advertisements from the two parenting magazines with highest circulation in the United States. The authors compared each advertisement for a product for use by children, against all the published recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on topics such as toy safety, helmet use, age-defined choking hazards, infant sleep safety, and others. Any advertisement with images or products which went against a published AAP recommendation was deemed as non-adherence and was categorized according to the statement it contradicted. Nearly one in six (15.7%) of the advertisements contained example(s) of non-adherence to AAP recommendations, with twelve categories of offense represented. Categories ranked by overall share from most to least include: non-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medical treatments, age-defined choking hazards, vitamins, cold medicine, formula, oral care, screen time, toy/playground safety, infant sleep, nutrition, water safety, and fall risk. Given that repeated exposure to messages in advertisements has been associated with changes in health decision-making, and parents often turn to parenting magazines for advice and ideas regarding their children, the publishers might consider screening the content in order to prevent confusing and potentially dangerous messages from being disseminated in the media.

Brokerage at the science–policy interface: from conceptual framework to practical guidance

“…In recent years there has been an explosion of misinformation, whether willful or not, via search engines, polarized mainstream and social media. Several papers have shown that even on neutral medical topics such as infant sleep position, a large fraction of website information is misleading or wrong (Joyner et al, 2009;Pitt et al, 2016;Moon and Task Force On Sudden Infant Death, 2016). The issues of the post-truth era and its impacts on democracy and policymaking and public understandings and attitudes well documented by others (Davies, 2016;Speed and Mannion, 2017;McIntyre, 2018).…”

"Voice of Children": Qualitative analysis of children's interpretations regarding nutritional behaviour

“…So, they come to a false conclusion that if a product is advertised, it is safe to buy it. Therefore, it is important to educate children to make them recognize what is appropriate for their health and lifestyle (Kline, 2005;Pitt, Berger, & Sheehan, 2016;Reisigg, Strain, & Griffiths, 2009). An appropriate legislative regulation including age limitation is needed to decrease consumption of these kinds of drinks among children and adolescents.…”

Stock Photographs Do Not Comply With Infant Safe Sleep Guidelines

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