Contents of foods advertised during NFL games may exacerbate chronic diseases
Key takeaways:
- Food products advertised during NFL games were high in several nutritional contents like calories.
- People with certain diseases, such as heart failure or hypertension, may be vulnerable to this advertising.
Foods advertised during NFL games were typically high in content like fat, sodium and calories, a cross-sectional analysis in JAMA Network Open showed.
The data indicate that people with certain chronic diseases like heart failure “should be counseled by clinicians about limiting dietary intake of most foods advertised during professional football games,” the researchers wrote.
Regarding the results, “it’s probably one of those things where everybody knows it, but no one actually tabulated it in the past,” Paul J. Hauptman, MD, dean of the University of Neveda, Reno School of Medicine, told Healio. “I thought it would be interesting to figure it out.”
In the study, Hauptman and colleagues assessed the nutritional content of foods advertised by the food and restaurant industry during NFL games, “the most watched sporting events in the United States,” since advertising influences consumers’ behaviors and meal option selections.
The researchers analyzed food advertisements from a sample of 10 recorded NFL games that occurred between September and November 2023 and determined their nutritional contents through the companies’ websites.
The researchers then compared these contents with those recommended by the American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
They analyzed 102 total food-related commercials from 18 vendors, which lasted between a median 15 to 20 seconds and represented 10.8% of all consumer-facing advertiser content.
Hauptman and colleagues found that the median sodium, calorie, fat and carbohydrate content was 910 mg, 490, 14 g and 56 g, respectively.
Advertised meals that were bought at fast-food restaurants were highest in sodium, carbohydrates and calorie content vs. smaller store-bought meals.
Hauptman said the amount of repetitive advertising from the same food vendors was a noteworthy finding.
“If they don’t get you the first time, they might get you the second time or third time,” he said.
The researchers wrote that alongside young adults and youth, of whom most research on the effectiveness of sports advertising on food consumption has been done on, adults with diabetes, hypertension, kidney failure or coronary heart disease “may also be vulnerable to deviations from suggested or prescribed dietary restrictions based on the frequency of exposure to advertising.”
There were several study limitations. Hauptman and colleagues acknowledged that actual dietary intake likely varies significantly by individuals, while they did not determine whether all advertisements had a national reach.
They also did not sample across the entire NFL season to see if there were differences between early vs. late season advertising content, nor compare advertising by sport to determine differences.
Hauptman explained that physicians could highlight to patients who may frequently watch football that “there’s now evidence there’s a lot of salt and bad calories in the foods that are advertised, and it would be best if you perhaps kept that in mind.”
“I think that’s really where physicians could make an impact, just getting to that next level of questioning,” he said.
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The study analyzed the nutritional content of foods advertised during NFL games using information available on the sponsor's website. The median of these foods was then compared with recommended intakes from Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association. However, food intake by individuals was not assessed, so it’s unclear what potential impact this may have. For example, one experimental study indicated that brand preference may be impacted but not necessarily nutrient intake. There is limited research on this though and further studies are warranted to better understand the influence of advertisements on food intake.
Reference:
Healio Primary Care Peer Perspective Board Member
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The fact that commercials promote foods high in sodium, fat and calories isn’t new, but it remains deeply concerning. Food companies spend billions annually on marketing unhealthy products, and [Hauptman’s] and colleagues’ findings align with global research that consistently shows fast food, sugary drinks, candy, sweet and salty snacks and breakfast cereals high in sugar dominate food marketing across all platforms.
Super Bowl ads are famous for glorifying junk food, but they’re hardly the worst offenders. Food advertising extends far beyond TV, infiltrating digital spaces where children spend much of their time. Kids spend about 4.5 to 8.5 hours daily on mobile devices, where they see three to 35 food ads per hour, depending on their age. Unlike TV ads, digital media can target people based on personal information, including location, online behavior and social media activity.
Although this study didn’t measure the impact of unhealthy food ads on diet, prior research shows the clear link: exposure to these ads increases caloric intake and preference for the marketed food. Digital food marketing in particular leads to positive brand attitudes and stronger purchase intentions. Given the significant health risks associated with exposure, including diet-related diseases, this issue warrants action.
So, what can be done? The most effective solution lies in policy changes that restrict unhealthy food marketing to children and enforce nutrition guidelines that foods and beverages must meet to be included in ads. Although clinicians can help raise awareness about this issue, and parents can set digital boundaries and advocate for privacy protections, real change requires industry accountability. To learn more about how to protect children from harmful and unfair digital food marketing practices, check out Healthy Eating Research’s new recommendations on this topic here.
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