Television food advertisement exposure and FTO rs9939609 genotype in relation to excess consumption in children

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Exposure to food advertisements may cue overeating among children, especially among those genetically predisposed to respond to food cues. We aimed to assess how television food advertisements affect eating in the absence of hunger among children in a randomized trial. We hypothesized that the Fat Mass and Obesity Associated Gene (FTO) rs9939609 single nucleotide polymorphism would modify the effect of food advertisements. SUBJECTS/METHODS In this randomized experiment, 200 children aged 9–10 years old were served a standardized lunch and then shown a 34-minute television show embedded with either food or toy advertisements. Children were provided with snack food to consume ad libitum while watching the show and we measured caloric intake. Children were genotyped for rs9939609 and analyses were conducted in the overall sample and stratified by genotype. A formal test for interaction of the food ad effect on consumption by rs9939609 was conducted. RESULTS 172 unrelated participants were included in this analysis. Children consumed on average 453 (SD=185) kCals during lunch and 482 (SD=274) kCals during the experimental exposure. Children who viewed food advertisements consumed an average of 48 kCals (95% CI: 10, 85; P=0.01) more of a recently advertised food than those who viewed toy advertisements. There was a statistically significant interaction between genotype and food advertisement condition (P for interaction = 0.02), where the difference in consumption of a recently advertised food related to food advertisement exposure increased linearly with each additional FTO risk allele, even after controlling for BMI percentile. CONCLUSIONS Food advertisement exposure was associated with greater caloric consumption of a recently advertised food, and this effect was modified by an FTO genotype. Future research is needed to understand the neurological mechanism underlying these associations.

Randomized Exposure to Food Advertisements and Eating in the Absence of Hunger Among Preschoolers

“…Findings are consistent with experimental studies among preadolescents that documented food advertisement exposure as part of viewing a TV program 5,6 or while playing an Internet advergame 5 led to increased ad libitum consumption of highly palatable snack foods. Our study reflects the first to assess this effect among preschool-age children.…”

“…These findings of a brand-specific relationship mirror the results of our previous study among 178 preadolescent children 6 where TV food advertisement exposure led to increased cued eating during the EAH phase only for the advertised food. Previously, exposure to TV food advertisements had been shown to affect the brand-specific preferences and food requests among preschoolage children.…”

“…In our other study conducted among 9-to 10-year-olds, 6 current BMI percentile was strongly related to consumption during the EAH phase, suggesting that we were observing an existing behavioral pattern that may have contributed to the children's current BMI percentile. There are known longitudinal associations between EAH behaviors and weight gain, 7,12 even among toddlers.…”

“…In addition, EAH may in part be driven by a genetic predisposition to increased food responsiveness, 19,31 and our work in preadolescents suggests a genetic predisposition to excess consumption after viewing food advertisements. 6 Future work should explore the extent to which this genetic disposition manifests itself in young children.…”

“…4 Exposure to TV food advertisements prompts cued eating among schoolage children, 5 even after consuming a satiating meal. 6 This is concerning if such excess caloric consumption leads to excess weight gain 7 or primes a preference for energy-dense foods. 8 However, no study to date has tested whether food advertisements cue eating among preschool-age children.…”