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Is Brand Visibility on Snacks Affecting Their Consumption in Children? Results from an Experimental Ad‐Libitum Study
Author(s) -
Gregori Dario,
Lorenzoni Giulia,
Ballali Simonetta,
Vecchio Maria Gabriella,
Verduci Elvira,
Berchialla Paola
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.264.8
Subject(s) - snacking , quartile , consumption (sociology) , visibility , medicine , food intake , advertising , psychology , environmental health , confidence interval , social science , physics , sociology , optics , business , obesity
Objective The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the brand (displayed on the food package and on TV advertising) when snacking in children 6‐11 years old. Design 3x2 factorial design. Setting 96 children were randomized based on their brand awareness scores, assessed using the IBAI instrument and conducted over two experimental sessions. First, 11 snacks were presented half laying on their own branded packages, whilst the other half unbranded. In a second afternoon break, in a different day, the condition of branded/unbranded was crossed‐over. Children were moreover randomized in three groups based on combinations of concomitant TV and advertising exposure. Main Outcome Measure: Caloric intake (Kcal) of snacks eaten during sessions. Analysis Multivariable linear model adjusting for eating habits and SES. Results No significant differences in energy intake were recorded according to brand visibility, both in high and low‐brand ware children. Exposure to TV and advertising, showed no significant association with energy intake in different groups and with the probability of being a high consumer (defined as the top quartile in caloric consumption). Conclusions and implications The present study suggest that brand visibility is not promoting a higher caloric intake in 6‐11 years old children during a snacking occasion.