Food advertising in Mexican television: are children more exposed?

Objective. To evaluate food advertisements on broadcast television channels in Mexico City. Material and Methods. Between July and October, 2007 programming by the 11 broadcast channels (N=11) in Mexico City was recorded during one weekday and one weekend day. The length of advertisements (N=9178), types of products, and nutritional content of foods advertised were analyzed. Results. The time devoted to food products advertising was greater during children's television than during programming targeted to the general audience (25.8 vs. 15.4%). The foods more frequently advertised were sweetened beverages, sweets and cereals with added sugar. Calorie, carbohydrate and fat contents were higher in foods advertised during children's shows. The two most common marketing strategies were to offer some kind of gift and to link the item to positive emotions. Conclusion. The findings of this research indicate the need for an effective system to regulate advertising directed towards children and adolescents.