Design and Obesity: The Effects of Food Branding on the Children’s Appetite

Branding is a technique used by the food industry to create a recognizable image to attract consumers and hopefully boost sales of the product. Children recognize food brands from a young age, but their impact on the development of eating behaviors and obesity is unclear. In addition, the notion that some branding techniques may be used to increase intake of healthful foods, like fruits and vegetables, has not been rigorously investigated. Two studies designed to test the effects of common food brands on children s appetite are presented. In the first study, four to six year-old children (n=40) were exposed to test-meals where foods were presented either with or without their associated branding and packaging. In the second study, a seven week study was conducted with four to five year-old children (n=15) to demonstrate the efficacy of using licensed characters to package and promote consumption of fruits and vegetables. These studies demonstrate that branding is an important influence on what and how much children eat, but some children may be more susceptible to these influences than others. Future studies are needed to better understand the influence that child age, sex, and obesity has on response to food branding and marketing.

کلیدواژه ها:

Childhood Obesity ، Food Branding ، Eating Behavior ، Appetite