Food marketing targeting children in Mexico: a systematic review of its impact on children's diets.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29105/respyn24.1-840Keywords:
Food, Food promotion, Food marketing, childrenAbstract
Introduction: In Mexico, the marketing and promotion of unhealthy foods and beverages has become a public health issue, as it has facilitated the access and consumption of ultra-processed foods from childhood. Objective: Analyze the nature and scope of promotional strategies on children's eating behaviors and characterize the nutritional content of the foods advertised through a systematic review. Material and method: Promotional strategies targeting children were characterized using a review based on the PRISMA declaration. The search strategy was established across three databases: PubMed, Scielo, and BVS, considering the period from 2010 to 2023, with search terms in both English and Spanish. The methodology addresses two research questions: What is the nature of food marketing aimed at children? and What is the impact of food and beverage marketing on children's diet? Results: It was found that more than 90% of the advertised foods did not meet nutritional quality standards, with sugary drinks, sweet cereals, and snacks being the most promoted items. Conclusion: The use of advertising characters was the most common promotional strategy across television, social media, and food packaging.
Keywords: Food, food marketing, children
Downloads
References
Ares, G., Arrúa, A., Antúnez, L., Vidal, L., Machín, L., Martínez, J., Curutchet, M. R., & Giménez, A. (2016). Influence of label design on children’s perception of two snack foods: Comparison of rating and choice-based conjoint analysis. Food Quality and Preference, 53, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2016.05.006
Bacardí-Gascón, M., Díaz-Ramírez, G., López, B. C., Zuñiga, E. L., & Jiménez-Cruz, A. (2013). TV food advertisements’ effect on food consumption and adiposity among women and children in Mexico. Nutrición Hospitalaria, 28(6), 1900–1904. https://dx.doi.org/10.3305/nh.2013.28.6.6966
Barquera, S., Hernández-Barrera, L., Rothenberg, S. J., & Cifuentes, E. (2018). The obesogenic environment around elementary schools: food and beverage marketing to children in two Mexican cities. BMC Public Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5374-0
Contreras-Manzano, A., Jáuregui, A., Nieto, C., Hall, M. G., Vargas-Meza, J., Thrasher, J. F., Illescas-Zárate, D., Barquera, S., & Hammond, D. (2020). The impact of a cartoon character on adults perceptions of Children’s breakfast cereals: a randomized experiment. Nutrition Journal, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-020-00565-5
Contreras-Manzano, A., Jáuregui, A., Vargas-Meza, J., Nieto, C., Granich-Armenta, A., de Lourdes Alemán Escobar, M., G.-Olvera, A., Cruz-Casarrubias, C., Munguía, A., & Barquera, S. (2022). Objective understanding of front of pack warning labels among Mexican children of public elementary schools. A randomized experiment. Nutrition Journal, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-022-00791-z
Cruz-Casarrubias, C., Tolentino-Mayo, L., Nieto, C., Théodore, F. L., & Monterrubio-Flores, E. (2021). Use of advertising strategies to target children in sugar‐sweetened beverages packaging in Mexico and the nutritional quality of those beverages. Pediatric Obesity, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12710
Demers-Potvin, É., White, M., Potvin Kent, M., Nieto, C., White, C. M., Zheng, X., Hammond, D., & Vanderlee, L. (2022). Adolescents’ media usage and self-reported exposure to advertising across six countries: implications for less healthy food and beverage marketing. BMJ Open, 12(5), e058913. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058913
Diario Oficial de la Federación. (2020). Modificación a la Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010, Especificaciones generales de etiquetado para alimentos y bebidas no alcohólicas preenvasados. Secretaria de Gobernación.www.dof.gob.mx/normasOficiales/4010/seeco11_C/seeco11_C.htm
Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición de Medio Camino ¨[ENSANUT]. (2016). Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. https://www.insp.mx/images/stories/2017/Avisos/docs/180315_encuesta_nacional_de_salud_y_nutricion_de_medio_Ca.pdf
Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia [UNICEF]. (2019, octubre). Estado Mundial de la Infancia 2019. Niños, alimentos y nutrición: crecer bien en un mundo en transformación. https://www.unicef.org/es/informes/estado-mundial-de-la-infancia-2019
Kelly, B., Halford, J., Boyland, E., Chapman, K., Bautista, I., & Berg, C. (2010). Television food advertising to children: A global perspective. American Journal of Public Health, 100(9), 1730–1736. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.179267
Kotler, J. A., Schiffman, J. M., & Hanson, K. G. (2012). The influence of media characters on children’s food choices. Journal of Health Communication, 17(8), 886–898. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2011.650822
Lapierre, M. A., Vaala, S. E., & Linebarger, D. L. (2011). Influence of licensed spokescharacters and health cues on children’s ratings of cereal taste. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 165(3). https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.300
Leonard, B., Campbell, M. C., & Manning, K. C. (2019). Kids, caregivers, and cartoons: The impact of licensed characters on food choices and consumption. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 38(2), 214–231. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915619827919
Letona, P., Chacon, V., Roberto, C., & Barnoya, J. (2014). Effects of licensed characters on children’s taste and snack preferences in Guatemala, a low/middle income country. International Journal of Obesity, 38(11), 1466–1469. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.38
López-Barrón, R. G., Jiménez-Cruz, A., & Bacardí-Gascón, M. (2015). Modifiable environmental obesity risk factors among elementary school children in a Mexico-us border city. Nutrición Hospitalaria, 31(5), 2047–2053. https://doi.org/10.3305/nh.2015.31.5.8669
McGale, L. S., Halford, J. C. G., Harrold, J. A., & Boyland, E. J. (2016). The influence of brand equity characters on children’s food preferences and choices. The Journal of Pediatrics, 177, 33–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.06.025
Munguía-Serrano, A., Tolentino-Mayo, L., Théodore, F. L., & Vandevijvere, S. (2020). Nutritional quality of hidden food and beverage advertising directed to children: Extent and nature of product placement in Mexican television programs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(9), 3086. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093086
Nieto, C., Espinosa, F., Valero-Morales, I., Boyland, E., Potvin Kent, M., Tatlow-Golden, M., Ortiz-Panozo, E., & Barquera, S. (2023). Digital food and beverage marketing appealing to children and adolescents: An emerging challenge in Mexico. Pediatric Obesity, 18(7). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13036
Nieto, C., Rincón-Gallardo Patiño, S., Tolentino-Mayo, L., Carriedo, A., & Barquera, S. (2017). Characterization of breakfast cereals available in the Mexican market: Sodium and sugar content. Nutrients, 9(8), 884. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080884
Organización Mundial de la Salud [OMS]. (2010, 15 de junio). Conjunto de recomendaciones sobre la promoción de alimentos y bebidas no alcohólicas dirigida a los niños. https://www.who.int/es/publications/i/item/9789241500210
Organización Panamericana de la Salud [OPS]. (2011). Recomendaciones de la Consulta de Expertos de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud sobre la promoción y publicidad de alimentos y bebidas no alcohólicas dirigida a los niños en la Región de las Américas. https://www.paho.org/hq/dmdocuments/2012/Experts-Food-Marketing-to-Children-(SPA).pdf
Ortiz-Pérez, H., Molina-Frechero, N., Martínez-Barbabosa, I., & Córdova-Moreno, R. (2015). Contenido nutricional de los alimentos promovidos por el Canal 5 de la televisión mexicana dirigidos a la población infantil. Revista Chilena de Nutrición,42(3), 260–266.
https://doi.org/10.4067/s0717-75182015000300006
Oviedo-Solís, C., Monterrubio-Flores, E., Cediel, G., Denova-Gutiérrez, E., & Barquera, S. (2022). Trend of ultraprocessed product intake is associated with the double burden of malnutrition in Mexican children and adolescents. Nutrients, 14(20), 4347. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204347
Pérez-Salgado, D., Rivera-Márquez, J. A., & Ortiz-Hernández, L. (2010). Publicidad de alimentos en la programación de la televisión mexicana: ¿los niños están más expuestos? Salud Publica de México, 52(2). https://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/spm/v52n2/v52n2a03.pdf
Popkin, B. (2020). El impacto de los alimentos ultraprocesados en la salud El impacto de los alimentos ultraprocesados en la salud. 2030. Alimentación, agricultura y desarrollo sostenible en América Latina y el Caribe, 34. FAO.
Rincón-Gallardo Patiño, S., Tolentino-Mayo, L., Flores Monterrubio, E. A., Harris, J. L., Vandevijvere, S., Rivera, J. A., & Barquera, S. (2016). Nutritional quality of foods and non-alcoholic beverages advertised on Mexican television according to three nutrient profile models. BMC Public Health, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3298-0
Theodore, F., Juárez, C., Cahuana, L., Blanco, I., Tolentino, L., & Bonvecchio, A. (2014). Barreras y oportunidades para la regulación de la publicidad de alimentos y bebidas dirigida a niños en México. Salud Publica de México, 56(2), 123–129. https://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/spm/v56s2/v56s2a5.pdf
Shamah-Levy, T., Romero-Martínez, M., Barrientos-Gutiérrez, T., Cuevas-Nasu, L., Bautista-Arredondo, S., Colchero, M. A., Gaona-Pineda, E. B., Lazcano-Ponce, E., Martínez-Barnetche, J., Alpuche-Arana, C., Rivera-Dommarco, J. (2021). Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición 2020 sobre Covid-19. Resultados Nacionales. Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública de México. https://ensanut.insp.mx/encuestas/ensanutcontinua2020/doctos/informes/ensanutCovid19ResultadosNacionales.pdf
Théodore, Lopez, Cruz, Mendoza, Barquera, & Tolentino. (2021). Digital marketing of products with poor nutritional quality: a major threat for children and adolescents. Public Health, 198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2021.07.040
Théodore, Tolentino, Bahena, L., Velasco, A., Popkin, B., Rivera, J., & Barquera, S. (2017). Pitfalls of the self-regulation of advertisements directed at children on Mexican television. Pediatric Obesity, 312–319. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12144
UNICEF. (2021a). Publicidad y promoción de alimentos y bebidas dirigidas a niños y adolescentes en los puntos de venta en México. (Primera Edición). https://www.insp.mx/resources/images/stories/2022/docs/220104_Unicef_digital.pdf
UNICEF. (2021b). Regulación de la publicidad de alimentos y bebidas no saludables dirigida a niños, niñas y adolescentes. UNICEF México. https://www.unicef.org/mexico/documents/marketing-de-alimentos-y-bebidas-dirigido-niñas-niños-y-adolescentes
Valero-Morales, I., Nieto, C., García, A., Espinosa-Montero, J., Aburto, T., Tatlow-Golden, M., Boyland, E., & Barquera, S. (2023). The nature and extent of food marketing on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube posts in Mexico. Pediatric Obesity, 18(5). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13016
Vega, I., Vázquez, J., Reynoso, A., Ceruelos, C., Hernández, C., & Ledezma, J. (2020). La alimentación en México y la influencia de la publicidad ante la debilidad en el diseño de políticas públicas. JONNPR, 853–862. https://doi.org/10.19230/jonnpr.3259
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Anaid Guadalupe Martín Díaz, Virginia Gabriela, Fatima Ezzahra Housni, Nora Rangel Bernal, Yolanda Campos Uscanga
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The rights of the work belong to the author or authors, however, by sending it for publication in the Public Health and Nutrition Magazine of the Faculty of Public Health and Nutrition of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, they grant the right for its first publication in between electronic, and possibly, in print to the Public Health and Nutrition Magazine. The license used is the Creative Commons attribution, which allows third parties to use what is published whenever the authorship of the work is mentioned and the first publication that is in the Public Health and Nutrition Magazine. Likewise, the author or authors will take into account that it will not be allowed to send the publication to any other journal, regardless of the format. The authors will be able to make other independent and additional contractual agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the article published in the Public Health and Nutrition Magazine (e.g., institutional repository or publication in a book) provided they clearly state that The work was published for the first time in the Public Health Magazine, Magazine of the Faculty of Public Health and Nutrition of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León.
