Too much sugar, too much salt: this is how unhealthy social media advertising is for children

You shouldn't believe everything you see in adverts. That sounds simple. But when advertising is aimed at children and young people, things get more complicated. Especially as young users today are constantly confronted with subtle marketing content on social media channels. The University of Vienna has now analysed the extent to which they are exposed to food advertising and whether it is appropriate for children on behalf of the Austrian Ministry of Health.

The result of the study: Around half of food adverts on social media are explicitly aimed at children and young people. But more than 70 per cent is not actually suitable for them according to the nutritional profile of the Austrian National Nutrition Commission. Based on the WHO's nutritional guidelines, as much as 81 per cent is not permitted.

In concrete terms, this means that the majority of the products presented contain too much fat, salt and/or sugar. The biggest culprits are chocolate, cakes, biscuits, drinks such as lemonade, ready meals and convenience foods.

Food brands and influencers at the centre

For one year, from July 2021 to June 2022, the researchers analysed advertising content on Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok and Twitch. They recorded 1605 articles and 3677 product representations during this time. They focussed on 61 of the largest food brands in Austria.

At the same time, they also analysed the food products advertised by the German-speaking influencers with the widest reach. And a similar picture emerges here: depending on the platform, between 57 and 73 per cent of products should not be advertised.

"The large number of followers, their personal appearance and their approachability are particularly valuable for advertisers," according to a media release on the study on the use of influencers. It is difficult to expose the advertising as such. The labelling of paid content as advertising is mandatory. "However, due to the personal and very direct form of address, children and young people often find it difficult to distinguish between non-commercial and commercial content despite the labelling."

Where the study reaches its limits

As the study is a content analysis, it cannot make any statements about the impact of the content. Nevertheless, the authors from the Centre for Public Health at the University of Vienna are certain that advertising with a high fat, sugar and salt content changes the dietary behaviour of children and young people. "This increases the risk of developing overweight and obesity as well as potentially lifelong secondary diseases," they say. Other studies have already shown this.

In any case, the Austrian Ministry of Health, which commissioned the study, now wants to take action. For example, with school catering checklists or quality standards for kindergartens, retirement and nursing homes and businesses. Health Minister Johannes Rauch has also announced that he will campaign for the legal regulation of food advertising. "We need to protect children in particular from the influence of advertising," he says. The new study clearly shows: "In addition to raising awareness, strengthening health literacy and voluntary recommendations, we also need restrictions on food advertising aimed specifically at children and young people."