Sex differences in young adults' snack food intake after food commercial exposure

Doeschka J Anschutz, Rutger C M E Engels, Carmen S van der Zwaluw, Tatjana van Strien

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Exposure to food commercials on television is considered to be related to elevated snack food intake in front of the television. However, this assumed relation has as yet not been fully established. The present study, therefore examined the direct effects of watching television food commercials on concurrent non-advertised snack food intake in young adults. In addition, possible sex differences were investigated. Participants (N=82, 50% male) watched a movie interrupted by two commercial breaks that contained either food commercials or neutral commercials. While watching, they could freely eat crisps and chocolate coated peanuts. Afterwards, participants filled out questionnaires and were weighed and measured. Regression analyses showed that men and women were differently affected by the food commercials. Food intake in women was higher when they watched the food commercials than when they watched the neutral commercials, whereas food intake in men was lower when they watched the food commercials than when they watched the neutral commercials. The results suggest that especially women are vulnerable for eating more snack food when exposed to food commercials.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)255-60
Number of pages6
JournalAppetite
Volume56
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2011

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Advertising as Topic
  • Eating
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Female
  • Food
  • Humans
  • Imitative Behavior
  • Male
  • Mass Media
  • Regression Analysis
  • Sex Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Television
  • Young Adult
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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