EFFECT OF FOOD ADVERTISEMENTS ON CHILDREN’S NUTRITIONAL HABITS: KARAMAN FIELD STUDY

Abstract

As a result of the developments in communication technology, the number of advertisements published is also increasing. We see that food advertisements are become markedly prominent among the advertisements. We can say that the fact that food advertisements have a very big effect on children has reached such a point that in recent years, especially in the researches carried out in the developed countries, children face with problems such as obesity, inactivity, isolation from the social environment, failure in their education and inter-family communication in proportion to the frequency and duration of use of these tools. In the research, it was aimed to reveal the extent of the effect of food advertisements on children’s food habits, therefore a questionnaire was applied to the families who had children and was selected using a random method, this questionnaire comprising the following: the usage frequency of the mass media by children; how they see the purpose of the advertisement; which food advertisements they prefer; which feature of the advertisements they found effective; and factors increasing the effectiveness of the advertisements, and the results were presented statistically. The central population ratio of Karaman was 190,366, the number of samples to be selected was 385, and the questionnaire was conducted face to face with the families having children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. The results obtained from the study are as follows: it has been observed that children like advertisement even if at a different level; they find food advertisements entertaining, exciting, interesting and attractive; music used in the advertisement and the type of presentation is effective; and the advertisements in which famous people and also children play are more effective. It has been seen that children like advertisements about meat and meat products, and coke; these advertisements direct children to the external meal nutrition and obesity; food consumption is increased while using the mass media; children immediately want to consume foods and drinks they see in the advertisement; and the food additives and food colouring are also have effect. It is also possible to say that families have started to buy more food. This study is important as it offers proactive solutions for effects of food advertisements on children; food consumption habits of children; attitudes of the families towards these effects; attitudes of families towards their children to ensure children to eat healthy foods; and the position and control of the mass media in the family