Story at-a-glance
- Just five minutes of exposure to junk food branding — including ads that did not show any food — caused children to eat an average of 130 more calories that same day
- Logos, jingles, and color schemes trigger subconscious food cravings by hijacking children’s natural hunger cues, even when the actual food isn’t present or referenced in the ad
- A UK study found that brand-only ads were just as powerful as food-based ads in increasing caloric intake, with no difference in effect across TV, billboards, podcasts, or social media
- Kids who were already overweight were more impacted by the advertising, eating even more calories, showing that these ads compound existing weight struggles rather than just influence new behavior
- Although the UK plans to restrict junk food ads before 9pm, public ads like posters and billboards remain legal, leaving children vulnerable to branding triggers proven to increase overeating
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