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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 Feb 23.
Published in final edited form as: Soc Issues Policy Rev. 2009 Dec 1;3(1):211–271. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-2409.2009.01015.x

Table 5.

Current policy initiatives and research questions that can be addressed by psychological research

Policy initiatives Research questions
International guidelines

  • World Health Organization recommendation to implement an international code on the commercial promotion of food and non- alcoholic beverages to children (WHO, 2006)

  • Developmental differences in child and adolescent vulnerability to marketing influence

  • Differential effects of different forms of marketing

  • Effects of health and nutrition claims on products targeted to children

  • Effects of marketing to parents on their children’s diets
Country-level food marketing regulations

  • FTC, FDA, CDC and DOA Interagency Working Group on Food Marketing to Children to develop recommendations for food marketing standards (US Congress, 2009)

  • Regulations under consideration in other countries (e.g., Australia, Canada)

  • Developmental differences in child and adolescent vulnerability to marketing influence

  • Differential effects of different forms of marketing

  • Effects on children’s diets
Food industry self-regulatory pledges

  • Council of Better Business Bureaus pledges in the U.S. (CBBB, 2006)

  • Industry pledges in other countries (Hawkes, 2007)

  • Effects of forms of marketing not covered by most pledges (e.g., Internet, packaging, licensed characters)

  • Effects on target audiences not covered by pledges (i.e., adolescents and parents)

  • Effects of promoting “better for you” foods that do not meet nutrition standards established through independent criteria

  • Effects of messages that encourage physical activity or other healthful activities, in association with unhealthy foods
Regulation of specific forms of advertising

  • Interactive advertising to children. Ban supported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner (Eggerton, 2008)

  • Product placements. FCC calls for sponsorship identification rules and embedded advertising (FCC, MB Docket 08–90) to consider disclosure requirements for product placements on television and bans on placements in children’s programming

  • Effects of common forms of interactive advertising, including viral marketing, advergames, online commercials, and promotions

  • Awareness and understanding of persuasive intent for interactive marketing

  • Developmental differences in vulnerability

  • Developmental differences in awareness and understanding of persuasive intent for product placements

  • Effectiveness of alternative forms of commercial intent disclaimers (e.g., at the time of product mention or the beginning of programming, verbal or written, prominence, etc.)
Regulation of food marketing in schools (in the
U.S., by state law or school district ruling)

  • Restrictions on vending machines and other competitive foods sold in schools in place in some states and many local school districts

  • Maine Public Law, Chapter 156 (2007) bans advertising in public schools, including a more extensive definition of advertising

  • Laws are currently under consideration in other states, including Connecticut

  • Developmental differences in vulnerability for implementation in elementary, middle or high schools

  • Effects of forms of marketing commonly used in schools (e.g., brand- sponsored curricular materials, product packaging, vending machine and other signage, etc.)
Litigation by private parties under consumer
protection laws (see Pomeranz, Teret, Sugarman, Rutkow & Brownell, 2009)

  • Regulation of false, deceptive or misleading commercial speech

  • May require full disclosure of product information

  • Assess child and parent interpretation of product claims and other information presented on the package or in advertisements