Product placements can affect food preferences of children and teens

Researchers say that product placements in PG, PG-13, and some G-rated movies have had effects in the food preference of children and teenagers.

Dr. Lisa A. Sutherland from Dartmouth Medical School says that there isn?t enough research to prove whether the effects of the product placements are good or bad. She says that this will be determined and analyzed in future research.

However, Dr. Sutherland did say that movies can be a source of junk food advertising, which can influence a young consumer?s food choices.

Dr. Sutherland is leading a research team to examine the prevalence of food and beverage product placements in popular films.

The findings were based on the top 20 box-office films for each year between 1996 and 2005. Among the 200 movies studied, Sutherland and her colleagues found that almost 70 percent had at least one product placement that involved food, beverage or a food retailer.

More than 30 percent of G-rated movies had a product placement, while 58 percent of PG movies had at least one, and a glaring 72 percent of PG-13 movies had one also.

The most common product placements were for candy, salty snacks, and other sweets.

Dr. Sutherland advises that parents should be aware the diet influences are not just limited television.

?If you’re concerned about these ads,? she explains. ?You should be aware that popping in a bunch of movies may not be any better than letting your kids watch TV.?

Source: REUTERS