A new study suggests that there is an association between exposure to alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption by young people.
The study was conducted by Lesley A. Smith and David R. Foxcroft from Oxford Brookes University. Smith and Foxcroft took a closer look at the effects of alcohol portrayals and advertising on drinking behaviour of youth by analyzing the relationship between exposure to alcohol ads, marketing, and portrayals to the subsequent behaviour of youth.
The study included a population of 13,000 people, aged 10 to 26, who reviewed a variety of alcohol advertisements, including product placements in TV, films, sports events, music videos, etc.
As posted on BarKeeper.ie, the conclusions were:
• Exposure to alcohol ads on TV was associated with increased tendencies to drink among young people as was exposure to magazine ads and concession stands at sporting events or concerts.
• It was also found that an increase in the number of hours spent watching films or music videos or playing games matched an increased tendency for young people to consume alcohol.