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TV food ads: educate and advocate No. 45 Term 3, 2007 ‘Applying the principles of critical literacy to TV food ads can help students... clarify their own attitudes and values about food and healthy eating.’ Jane Leaker and Tricia Knott, Department of Education and Children’s Services In this issue: qRita Alvaro, Centre for Health Promotion q Kaye Mehta, Flinders University of South Australia q Dr Martin Caraher, City University, London q Jane Leaker and Tricia Knott, Department of Education and Children’s Services qMonica Lee, Salisbury North West Schools qJustine Hodge, The Parents Jury Please distribute to your: q Leadership team q Teachers q Canteen staff q OSHC staff q School Governing Council q Families q Local health and community agencies Rita Alvaro, Senior Nutritionist, Centre for Health Promotion O n average, Australian This is proposed to be one of the children watch about 20 hours most cost-effective interventions of TV each week. During this time, to help prevent overweight and they are bombarded with ads for obesity. high fat, sugar or salt foods - foods Regulations about TV food which do not meet healthy eating advertising shown during guidelines. Many ads use clever children’s programs do exist, but as marketing techniques designed many children watch TV outside of to appeal to children, such as these times, they fail to adequately animation and catchy jingles. protect the interests of children. Research shows that food This Virtually Healthy explores advertising does influence TV food advertising to children, children’s food preferences and and highlights advocacy and leads them to ‘pester’ their parents action occurring in Australia and to buy advertised products. Young overseas. It shows how schools children are particularly vulnerable and teachers can link this issue to TV food advertising. with student learning. It showcases Easy access to high fat and sugar information from the Centre for foods, high levels of advertising Health Promotion’s new resource promoting these foods, reductions for schools, TV Food Ads: Educate in physical activity, and increases in and Advocate. Articles from key sedentary behaviour (including TV presenters of a TV Food Ads forum viewing) are all factors contributing held to celebrate the launch of this to the rising rate of childhood resource are also featured. obesity. Addressing TV food advertising to children requires a multi-strategy approach. Equipping students with skills to be critical about TV food ads may help them be more informed consumers. Schools play an important role in teaching students critical literacy skills. Supporting parents with strategies to restrict TV viewing and provide healthy foods is also important. However, the high level of TV food advertising promoting unhealthy foods undermines even the best efforts of parents and educators. Speakers at launch L to R from front: Rita Alvaro, Gail Mondy and Ann-Marie Hayes (CYWHS), Hence, there is growing Martin Caraher (City University, London), Tricia pressure on governments to Knott and Jane Leaker (DECS), Alison Smith tighten the regulations on TV (CYWHS), Kaye Mehta (Flinders Uni). food advertising to children. T V F O O D A D S: E D U C A T E A N D A D V O C A T E TV food advertising to children in Australia Kaye Mehta, Senior Lecturer, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Flinders University of South Australia (Founding member, Coalition on Food Advertising to Children) A ustralian children aged 5-14 years spend on average 20 hours a week watching screenbased entertainment. Most of this time is television viewing, dominating over videos and DVDs. Around 30% of all TV ads during children’s peak viewing times are for food, and 50-80% of those ads promote unhealthy foods. While The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating suggests these foods should be eaten sparingly, most TV food ads give children the opposite message. Does it matter? Children are a lucrative market for food companies. Their direct and indirect purchases made through pestering parents amount to billions of dollars. Huge sums of money are spent on advertising targeted at them. A number of systematic reviews have found that food advertising does influence children’s food preferences. The latest national nutrition survey showed that Australian children are eating too many high fat and high sugar foods and not enough fruit and vegetables. This has contributed to the rising rate of childhood obesity. Cognitive development Research shows that until around age eight years, children do not understand the persuasive and selling intent of advertising. Consequently they are unable to ‘defend’ themselves against the techniques used by advertisers. However, they act like consumers and pester parents to buy the products. In this way, they are naïve and vulnerable consumers. Regulatory protection of children Australia has a complex system of government and industry self-regulation working side by side. The standards and codes lack precision and are open to interpretation. The structure is Page 2 complaints-based with no system for monitoring compliance or penalising breaches of the codes. Not surprisingly, there are few complaints registered, leaving children unprotected from the high volumes and inappropriate advertising of unhealthy foods. Food and drink advertising aimed at children is banned in Norway, Sweden and Quebec (see p3). These places demonstrate successful models that put children’s interests foremost. Action for change Children deserve to be protected from the harmful effects of food advertising. Parents deserve not to be undermined in their role as educators to help children make healthy food choices. Advocacy to support improvements to TV food advertising is occuring in response to these issues. The Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (see p8), comprising peak medical, health and consumer groups, has been advocating for a ban on all food advertising during children’s peak viewing times. This aims to create an environment that supports both children and parents. The review of the Children’s Television Standards by the Australian Communication and Media Authority in 2007 provides an important opportunity to strengthen the regulations so that they provide real protection to children from the harmful effects of food and drink advertising. The Centre for Health Promotion has produced TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate to assist schools address this issue holistically through the curriculum, a supportive school environment, nutrition policies and engagement with parents. Full article with references: www.chdf. org.au/i-cms?page=111 TV Food Ads: Top 3 facts 1. Most TV food ads are for foods that are high in fat, sugar and/ or salt. Foods commonly advertised include fast food, chocolate and confectionery. 2. Many TV food ads are for ‘Extra Foods’ that healthy eating guidelines say to eat in small amounts. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (see p8) ↑ Extra Foods (eat in small amounts) 3. TV food ads can influence children’s food preferences. A review of 122 studies showed that food advertising influences what children want to eat, what they ask their parents to buy (‘pester power’) and what they actually eat. (Hastings, et al, 2003). Top 10 facts can be found in a fact sheet in ‘TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate’. Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS: Virtually Healthy newsletter No.45 T V F O O D A D S: E D U C A T E A N D A D V O C A T E The TV food advertising debate – rights versus responsibilities Dr Martin Caraher, Reader in Food and Health Policy Institute of Health Sciences, City University, London K ey tensions revolve around the rights of the food industry to promote its products and the role of governments in protecting the health of its young citizens. Once change becomes inevitable, analysts predict that the food industry will change from protecting the status quo to limiting and slowing down the changes. Lessons from outside Australia Some countries have tighter restrictions on TV food advertising than Australia. For example, in France the government has introduced measures that require food advertisers to display a health warning on ads for high sugar and high salt foods. Sweden has had total bans on advertising aimed at children under 12 since 1991 and the province of Quebec (Canada) has had similar bans in place since 1978. This year in the UK, fast food ads were banned on the main free channels during programs aimed at 4 to 9 year olds. Ads for 4 to 15 year olds will be phased out from next year and this will be extended to all TV channels including satellite TV from 2009. The rights issue The Swedish case demonstrates the complexity of the debate. It has been used by both advocates of a ban on TV food advertising to show what can be achieved, and opponents who claim the ban has failed to halt the rising tide of obesity. Its guiding principle is children’s rights and the protection of children from undue influence of advertising - not to reduce obesity or to improve health as such. It is not based on good or bad food but on the basis that children under twelve cannot clearly distinguish advertising messages from program content. Unfortunately, this does not mean that Swedish children are not subject to food advertising, as satellite TV beamed from the UK to Sweden is subject to UK regulations. Another area of debate is what constitutes ‘aimed at’ children. Conclusion It has been argued that if the product can be eaten by adults or if the program the ads are shown in target the whole family, the ad cannot be considered ‘aimed at’ children. Industry responses It is interesting to see how the advertising industry responds to these debates (see figure below). In the UK, the food industry applied lobbying pressure in response to the Hastings review (see p2) by both disputing the research and commissioning its own research. The food industry can block policy development by producing counter arguments which point out the negative impact that bans or regulation would have on the economics of the industry. Food companies often modify products to meet minimum nutrition standards and after initial public statements committing to change, often go back with the argument that consumers do not want changes in their food products. Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS: Virtually Healthy newsletter No.45 Voluntary codes and self-regulation of TV food advertising do not work, and are a major policy weakness in the majority of European countries and in Australia. Food advertising aimed at children clearly needs to be controlled. We need to think about this in international terms, and not just solving a problem in one country. We can debate endlessly about the evidence of impact, but a surer way seems to be to use principles of protecting children from undue influence. Key points ♦ There is mileage in any campaign which focusses on the rights of children and the impact of advertising on these rights. ♦ The food and advertising industries will defend their positions. Education and public health bodies should be as vigorous in their lobbying. ♦ National initiatives must be supported by international agreements or controls. Full article with references: www.chdf.org.au/i-cms?page=111 How the industry responds to change Source: Curry A, Kelnar R ‘Fat is a strategic issue’ London; Henley Centre, 2004 Page 3 T V F O O D A D S: E D U C A T E A N D A D V O C A T E TV foods ads and the SACSA Framework Jane Leaker and Tricia Knott, Policy and Program Officers, DECS C hildren are the targets of sophisticated marketing strategies used by food companies, such as catchy slogans and jingles. They are often not aware that companies may only put forward the side of the story that is going to lead to increased sales. Teaching about TV food advertising can help children be more critical about these ads. Through a joint research project between DECS and the University of South Australia, The Multiliteracies Map was developed (see below) and forms part of the Early Years Literacy Program. This can be used as a model to explore TV food ads. The critical analyser dimension involves the understanding that there is no one universal truth in any story and that what is told and studied is selective. Studying TV food ads gives an opportunity to develop this understanding. Critical literacy The Multiliteracies Map Functional User • • • Locating, code breaking, using signs and icons Selecting and operating equipment Moving between mediums; cameras, videos, computers Critical analyser • • • • Discourse analysis Equity Power and position Appropriate mode Meaning maker • • • Understanding multimodal meanings Purpose of text and text form Connecting to prior knowledge Transformer • • • Using skills and knowledge in new ways Designing texts Producing new texts Source: www.earlyyears.literacy.sa.edu.au Teaching about TV food advertising can also be linked at all year levels to the development of important skills (eg comparison, analysis, communication, creating, decision-making) and a range of learning areas. For example, as part of English students can learn how to critically interpret a range of visual, multimodal and written texts, including TV food ads, with familiar and new content, language and structures. This will satisfy outcomes 1.3-5.3 in the Texts and Contexts strand of the SACSA Framework. In Health and Physical Education exploring the messages that TV food ads give about food and healthy eating, and reflecting on how this influences their own food choices will support outcomes 1.8-5.8 in the Health of Individuals and Communities strand. Teaching about TV food ads can also be integrated across other curriculum areas, as seen in the examples below. Mathematics: Graph the number and types of TV food ads shown at different times. Arts: Perform, sing or film a TV food ad. Design and technology: Design a poster to promote a new food product. Society and environment: Explore influences on food choice, including TV food advertising. The aim of critical literacy is to analyse text material in a way that explores and challenges its implicit attitudes, values and beliefs. Any written, visual, spoken and multimedia material including TV ads can be analysed in this way, examining issues of language, power, social groups and social practices. How can we apply it to TV food ads? TV food ads can be analysed in terms of: ♦ Who is the target of the ad? ♦ What mechanisms does the ad use to influence people? ♦ What world view and values are assumed to be held by the viewer? ♦ Who benefits and who doesn’t? Why is it important? Like all text material, TV food ads are not neutral. They represent particular views, silence other points of view and influence people’s ideas. Applying the principles of critical literacy to TV food ads can help students appreciate that food ads may have different meanings to different people because everyone will interpret them in the light of their own beliefs and values. Importantly it can also build up the ability of students to clarify their own attitudes and values about food and healthy eating. More cross curricular ideas can be found in ‘TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate’ Page 4 Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS: Virtually Healthy newsletter No.45 T V F O O D A D S: E D U C A T E A N D A D V O C A T E Teacher workshops create enthusiasm and ideas Rita Alvaro, Senior Nutritionist, Centre for Health Promotion A whole school approach to TV food ads A comprehensive approach to enhancing student wellbeing that includes the curriculum, the school environment and schoolcommunity links can be referred to as a Health Promoting Schools or whole school approach. The Health Promoting Schools Framework Curriculum, teaching and learning School organisation, ethos and environment School, home and community links The issue of TV food advertising to children can be addressed using this approach. Examples: ♦ Exploring food ads through the curriculum links with critical literacy and can empower students to make informed choices. ♦ Reinforcing curriculum messages through the school environment, such as providing healthy foods through the canteen can enable children to put what they learn into practice. ♦ Schools can also work together with health and community agencies to provide information and support to parents on this issue. W orkshops for primary school teachers are being run across SA to support the use of TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate. They provide: ♦ information on TV food advertising to children ♦ ideas for teaching critical literacy of food ads ♦ ways to reinforce curriculum messages through the wider school environment ♦ ways to raise awareness about TV food ads amongst staff, parents and families. Teachers have also generated many imaginative ideas on how to link TV food ads with a range of curriculum learning areas through group work at the workshops. The workshops to date have been very successful, with teachers rating the workshops highly, stating their understanding of TV food ads has increased, and that they will now undertake curriculum activities with their students. They are very enthusiastic about viewing and discussing TV food ads with their students, and encouraging them to be more critical about the foods these ads present and the marketing techniques that are used. One teacher said ‘(The workshop provided) lots of new information and data. I appreciate that with information comes power. We can assist students to access the information and so make informed choices.’ Curriculum activity ideas from teachers ♦ Half the class to watch TV from 4-5pm and half from 7-8pm. Record the number of food ads during that time. Share the results with the class. ♦ Critically analyse the language used in food ads. Upcoming workshop ♦October 31, 2007 Hindmarsh Education Centre Milne Rd, Hindmarsh ♦ Interview students/teachers about the effects of food ads on eating habits. ♦ Design a food product box, including name of product, logo and messages. Write a script to sell the product. Schools will be notified about further workshops in 20072008. Contact the Centre for Health Promotion on 8161 7777. Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS: Virtually Healthy newsletter No.45 Page 5 T V F O O D A D S: E D U C A T E A N D A D V O C A T E Critical literacy in action Exploring TV food ads through the curriculum Monica Lee, Teacher, Salisbury North West Schools Monica and her year 6-7 class looked at TV food ads using some ideas in TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate’. Links were made with ‘persuasive writing’, Health and PE and other learning areas. She shares some of the interesting outcomes. TV viewing time Students discussed how much TV they watch and when they watched it. Students did not watch a lot of TV in the ‘C’ classification time slot. Most spent time after school with friends or played console games. Many started watching TV around 8pm. Some students with TVs in their bedroom did not really know what time they stopped watching TV! said only ‘little kids’ would be fooled into buying food because you got a toy with it. They said they did not buy the ‘baby meals’, and if they did they gave the toys to younger kids. Some revealed that when they were younger they did ask for these meals so they could get the toys. Some students conceded they did ‘pester’ their parents to take them to these outlets. They knew they would get their own way because their parents also liked these foods and found it easier to buy takeaway after a busy day. Marketing techniques Viewing and discussing ads showed that students were media savvy and recognised marketing techniques used in ads, although most did not feel that ads were pitched ‘at them’ or felt they were too old to be influenced by them. Students were aware that ‘freebies’ came with foods, and justified why they purchased them. For example, most boys collected AFL football cards. One boy said he only bought a particular brand of chips for the cards. He said if the cards were available independently of the chips, he would buy the cards and not that brand of chips. He thought he was getting something from the company for nothing! When discussing free toys from fast food outlets, students Page 6 Marketing techniques Watch a few ads. Were any of the following used? Techniques Give-aways Key questions Will you get a reward if you buy the product? Music and jingles How is the music used? Can you remember some of the jingles? Animation Is the ad animated? Why types of colours are used? What other techniques are used? Food ads favourites When students were asked about their favourite ads, they weren’t all about food. The favourite ads for both girls and boys were for beer and fast cars. Curriculum activity ideas Nutrition messages Students showed confusion around nutrition claims made about some foods. For example, thinking that muesli bars are healthy. Students did take note of nutrition messages, such as that a popular brand of chocolately breakfast cereal is now ‘healthier’. As a result, we have compared food products and discussed how to make the best choices. Frequently featured foods ♦Students watch one hour of TV over a set period of time. ♦Students record the number of food ads, and where the food fits into The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (see p2 and p8). ♦As a class, students collate information about the number of ads from each food group into a pie graph. ♦Compare this graph with The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (see below). Conclusion Teaching about TV food ads and healthy eating has had positive outcomes. Students have shown an interest in what they are eating, and staff have noticed better choices appearing in lunch boxes. There are a lot of ‘spin-offs’ with the topic of TV food ads – cost comparison of foods, effects of food on the human body, and label reading. I would like to revisit this topic in the future and explore script-writing and drama through students creating their own ads. Extra foods (0-10%) Ideas from ‘TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate’. Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS: Virtually Healthy newsletter No.45 T V F O O D A D S: E D U C A T E A N D A D V O C A T E Parents speak out through The Parents Jury Justine Hodge, The Parents Jury Coordinator T he Parents Jury is a webbased network of parents who wish to improve the food and physical activity environments for children in Australia. Formed in August 2004 with a jury of 12 concerned parents, there are now over 2600 members. Membership is free and open to all Australian parents, grandparents and guardians of children under the age of 18. The Parents Jury is supported by the Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity, Diabetes Australia – Vic, The Cancer Council Australia and VicHealth. Campaigns The Parents Jury campaigns are determined by the members themselves. These currently are around: ♦ healthy schools ♦ food marketing to children ♦ physical activity ♦ healthy eating for kids ♦ healthy supermarket checkouts. Food marketing to children Food companies use sophisticated marketing techniques to target children. Strategies include the use of enticing websites with games, competitions and free downloads. Images of food and logos are embedded into video games, encouraging children to register their email details so that they can be sent future marketing materials. ‘Text2win’ mobile phone competitions encourage repeat purchases to obtain unique product codes for multiple chances to win a big prize. In early 2007, The Parents Jury launched its bi-monthly ‘Trial by Jury’ campaign to highlight marketing strategies that food companies use to target children. Parents choose the food marketing campaign they think is the worst and give it a ‘guilty’ verdict. The annual ‘Children’s TV Food Advertising Awards’ program highlights the best and worst food advertising campaigns shown during children’s viewing hours. Members are invited to submit nominations and then vote in three categories. 1. The Smoke and Mirrors Award: for the ad that parents feel is misleading as it only tells half the truth about a product’s true nutritional value. 2. The Pester Power Award: for the ad that encourages children to nag their parents because of the promise of a free toy or a promotional offer. 3. The Parents’ Choice Award: for the ad that parents love their kids to watch as it depicts a healthy product in an appealing way. Winners can be found on The Parents Jury website. Engage parents What children learn about TV food ads and healthy eating through the curriculum is reinforced when parents engage with these issues. ♦Involve parents in homework activities on TV food ads. ♦Place information in the school newsletter (see insert and below). Create screen savvy kids Tips for parents ♦ Talk about TV food ads with your children. Help them question why they make TV food ads and the techniques used to make products appeal to them. ♦ Limit your child’s screen time (including TV, Internet and computer games) to less than 2 hours per day. ♦ Have ‘screen-free’ zones in the bedrooms. ♦ Encourage healthy eating. Limit heavily advertised foods, such as chocolate, lollies and fast foods in the home. ♦ Become involved – join The Parents Jury (see p8). ♦ Voice your concern - if you are concerned about the high level of TV food ads promoting unhealthy foods, lobby for changes to TV food advertising regulations (see Advocacy Group websites p8). Adapted from newsletter snippets in ‘TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate’ Pamphlet for parents: ‘Fight childhood obesity’ Rosemary Stanton and Shalani McCray present the winner of the 2006 Parents’ Choice Award. Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS: Virtually Healthy newsletter No.45 Available through Young Media Australia (see p8). Page 7 About us Resources Centre for Health Promotion Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service 8th floor, Samuel Way Building Women’s and Children’s Hospital 72 King William Road North Adelaide SA 5006 Ph: (08) 8161 7777 Fax: (08) 8161 7778 Email: [email protected] Promoting children’s health in the community www.wch.sa.gov.au/chp.html Virtually Healthy This newsletter is published each school term and: ♦ supports learning, health and wellbeing in school communities ♦ advocates the health promoting schools approach ♦ shares effective practice ♦ is prepared in collaboration with key agencies. Free copies are sent to all South Australian schools, OSHC services, community health and school dental services. Also available on the Centre for Health Promotion website. Your feedback and input is welcome! Contact Virtually Healthy Coordinator, Diana Skott, ph: 8161 7777 [email protected] Join the ‘SA Health Promoting Settings Network’ A free network for those interested in Health Promoting Schools. Go to www. sahps.net Advocacy groups Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (CFAC) www.wch.sa.gov.au/ foodadstokids.html A national advocacy group advocating for changes to advertising practices. Website includes research, media articles, regulations and ways to voice your concern about TV food advertising. The Parents Jury www.parentsjury.org.au Includes information on healthy eating, physical activity, healthy schools and food advertising, including regulations, sample letters to voice your concern about TV food advertising and how to become a member. Members receive email updates and can join an online discussion forum. Young Media Australia www.youngmedia.org.au Helpline: 1800 700 357 (24 hours a day/7 days a week) Email: [email protected] A national not-for-profit organisation with expertise in the role of the media in the healthy development of children. Website has information on the impact of the media, movie reviews and food advertising, including a wide range of fact sheets for parents. Key TV food ad resources Health Information Centre Children’s health or corporate wealth? The case for banning television food advertising to children. CFAC, 2006 www.wch.sa.gov.au/ foodadstokids.html Click on ‘CFAC documents’. Includes evidence on TV food advertising directed to children. Drop in or contact us for quality health information on a range of topics. Kermode Street entrance, WCH. cywhs.healthinformation@cywhs. sa.gov.au Ph: 8161 6875. 9.30am - 4.00pm www.wch.sa.gov.au TV Food Ads: Educate and Advocate. Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS, 2007 A resource on TV food advertising for primary school teachers. See order form (insert). Parenting SA Parenting SA promotes the value of parents and provides information to assist with parenting. Now located at the Centre for Health Promotion. Ph: 8303 1660 Fax: 8303 1653 www.parenting.sa.gov.au Television Food Advertising to Children Community Education Kit. CFAC, 2004 www.wch.sa.gov.au/foodadstokids. html Includes information, presentation outlines and overheads for presentations on TV food advertising. Other curriculum resources Don’t Buy It: Get Media Smart KCTS Television, Seattle, 2004 www.decs.sa.gov.au/ northerncountry/default.asp?id=19 135&havgrp=1223 A media literacy website to encourage children to think critically about the media. Includes web-based activities such as ‘Food advertising tricks’ and ‘What’s in an ad?’ Suitable for primary and middle year students. The Media Awareness Network www.media-awareness.ca/english/ teachers A Canadian media literacy website with teacher support materials and lesson plans, such as ‘Junk food jungle’ and ‘Gotta have a gimmick’. Suitable for use with primary and middle year students. Healthy eating resources The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating www.health.gov.au/internet/ wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/ health-pubhlth-publicat-phys.htm Resources include a brochure, consumer booklet, posters and a nutrition educators’ booklet. Ph: 1800 020 103 Ext 8654 or email: [email protected] ‘CREATE healthy eating’ healthy food product database. Centre for Health Promotion, CYWHS www.wch.sa.gov.au/chp.html Click on ‘Enjoy healthy eating’, then ‘CREATE healthy eating’, then ‘Food products, tempting and tasty’. Includes information on healthier food products.