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Exploring the Association between Television Advertising of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods, Self‐Control, and Food Intake in Three European Countries
Author(s) -
Giese Helge,
König Laura M.,
Tăut Diana,
Ollila Hanna,
Băban Adriana,
Absetz Pilvikki,
Schupp Harald,
Renner Britta
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
applied psychology: health and well‐being
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.276
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1758-0854
pISSN - 1758-0846
DOI - 10.1111/aphw.12036
Subject(s) - unhealthy food , association (psychology) , advertising , television advertising , environmental health , control (management) , food science , psychology , business , medicine , economics , biology , obesity , psychotherapist , management
Background: Building upon previous results, the present study explored the relationship between exposure to unhealthy and healthy food TV commercials, trait self‐control, and food intake. Methods: In total, 825 F inns (53% female), 1,055 G ermans (55% female), and 971 R omanians (55% female) aged 8–21 reported advertisement exposure, self‐control, and food intake. Results: Altogether, participants indicated higher exposure to unhealthy compared to healthy food advertisements ( F (1, 2848) = 354.73, p < .001, partial η 2 = .111). Unhealthy food advertisement exposure was positively associated with unhealthy food intake (all β ≥ .16, p < .001). Healthy food advertisement exposure was positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption (β = .10, p < .001). Self‐control was associated with higher consumption of healthy (β ≥ .09, p < .001) and lower consumption of unhealthy foods (all β ≥ −.11, p < .001). Yet, findings of advertising and self‐control were mainly independent (interactions: β ≤ |.07|, p ≥ .002). Conclusion: Even though the results suggest that healthy advertisement exposure and self‐control might be beneficial for children's and adolescents' diet, self‐control might be insufficient to alleviate the positive relationship between unhealthy food advertising and unhealthy eating.