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The impact of food advertisements on changing eating behaviors: An experimental study

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  • Rusmevichientong, Pimbucha
  • Streletskaya, Nadia A.
  • Amatyakul, Wansopin
  • Kaiser, Harry M.

Abstract

This research examines how three types of food advertising (healthy food, unhealthy food, and anti-obesity) impact consumers’ purchases of lunch items. The analysis is based on an economic experiment conducted with 186 adult non-undergraduate student subjects, each of which were randomly placed into either the control group or one of four treatments: (1) healthy food advertising, (2) anti-obesity advertising, (3) unhealthy food advertising, and (4) mixed (all three food) advertising. The results indicate that healthy, anti-obesity, and mixed food advertising reduced intakes of total calories, fat, sodium, and carbohydrates. Similarly, anti-obesity, healthy, and mixed food advertising results in increasing the probability of selecting more healthy items and fewer unhealthy items from a menu. Healthy food advertising has a stronger impact than anti-obesity or mixed food advertising.

Suggested Citation

  • Rusmevichientong, Pimbucha & Streletskaya, Nadia A. & Amatyakul, Wansopin & Kaiser, Harry M., 2014. "The impact of food advertisements on changing eating behaviors: An experimental study," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 59-67.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:44:y:2014:i:c:p:59-67
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2013.10.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zimmerman, F.J. & Bell, J.F., 2010. "Associations of television content type and obesity in children," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(2), pages 334-340.
    2. Shin-Yi Chou & Inas Rashad & Michael Grossman, 2008. "Fast-Food Restaurant Advertising on Television and Its Influence on Childhood Obesity," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(4), pages 599-618, November.
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    4. Liaukonyte, Jura & Rickard, Bradley J. & Kaiser, Harry M. & Okrent, Abigail M. & Richards, Timothy J., 2012. "Economic and health effects of fruit and vegetable advertising: Evidence from lab experiments," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 543-553.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Rudkin, Simon, 2015. "Supermarket Interventions and Diet in areas of Limited Retail Access: Policy Suggestions from the Seacroft Intervention Study," MPRA Paper 62434, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Braut, Beatrice & Zaccagni, Sarah, 2023. "Emotional reactions to food interventions: Evidence from an online survey," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(3), pages 419-426.
    4. Segovia, Michelle S. & Palma, Marco A. & Nayga, Rodolfo M., 2020. "Can episodic future thinking affect food choices?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 371-389.
    5. Michelle S. Segovia & No‐Ya Yu & Ellen J. Van Loo, 2023. "The effect of information nudges on online purchases of meat alternatives," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(1), pages 106-127, March.

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