Episode 4 - How social media influencers promote junk food to children
Over 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children in the UK are considered obese…how much of a contributing factor is the promotion of junk food to children by social media influencers?
Obesity is a complex health condition. It is a risk factor for several chronic conditions including diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. And it is becoming common around the world. In the UK, it is estimated to affect around 1 in 4 adults and around 1 in every 5 children aged 10 to 11.
In this episode, we talk to Dr. Anna Coates about the power and impact of social media influencer food marketing has on children’s eating behaviour.
Dr. Anna Coates is a researcher in the department of Psychological Sciences and a demonstrator in the School of Psychology at the University of Liverpool. She holds a Masters’ in Philosophy and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Manchester.
Reading List:
A. Coates, C. Hardman, J. Halford, P. Christiansen & E. Boyland, ‘“It’s Just Addictive People That Make Addictive Videos”: Children’s Understanding of and Attitudes Towards Influencer Marketing of Food and Beverages by YouTube Video Bloggers’ (2020) Vol. 17 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 449.
A. Coates, C. Hardman, J. Halford, P. Christiansen & E. Boyland, ‘The Effect of Influencer Marketing of Food and a “Protective” Advertising Disclosure on Children's Food Intake’ (2019) Vol.14 Pediatric Obesity.
A. Coates, C. Hardman, J. Halford, P. Christiansen & E. Boyland, ‘Food and Beverage Cues Featured in YouTube Videos of Social Media Influencers Popular With Children: An Exploratory Study’ (2019) Vol. 10 Frontiers in Psychology.
A. Coates, C. Hardman, J. Halford, P. Christiansen, & E. Boyland, ‘Social Media Influencer Marketing and Children’s Food Intake: A Randomized Trial’ (2019) Vol. 143.4 Pediatrics.
