Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 75-09(E), Section: A.

Adviser: Kelly D. Brownell.

Poor diet and physical inactivity are significant drivers of the worldwide obesity epidemic. Food marketing is one factor that has been identified as a major contributor to obesity. Advertisements promoting energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods appear in schools, supermarkets, sports arenas, public transportation venues, and on the internet. Given the prolific nature of advertisements that promote unhealthy foods, public health experts have called for reductions in food marketing. One marketing technique that has recently gained attention involves the use of sports in food marketing, and includes athlete endorsements, sponsorship of sporting events by food companies, and placement of sports-related images in marketing campaigns.

This dissertation outlines three studies designed to inform the policy question of whether sports-related food advertisements should be restricted. The studies examine industry marketing tactics, consumer responses to sports-related food marketing campaigns, and the prevalence of sports-related marketing practices. The methodology and design for these studies include descriptive analyses of industry behavior and a lab-based study examining consumer behavior.

The first study in this dissertation examined the use of sports in marketing foods at supermarkets. The prevalence of athlete endorsements, sponsorship of sports organizations (e.g. Olympics), and sports-related imagery (e.g. sports equipment) on child-targeted products highlights the need for restricting sports-related food advertisements. The second study in this dissertation quantified the prevalence of celebrity athlete endorsements of food and beverage products in the U.S. The findings indicated celebrity athletes endorse a wide range of food and beverage brands and promote mostly energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods.

The third study described in this dissertation was a lab-based study that examined the impact of athlete endorsement of food and beverage products on consumer intake of food and beverages. Participants watched a video clip with commercials that featured athlete endorsements of food/beverages, regular food/beverage commercials, or non-food/beverage commercials. We hypothesized that individuals who viewed athlete endorsement food/beverage commercials would consume more calories than those who viewed regular food/beverage commercials. Furthermore, we hypothesized that individuals who viewed regular food/beverage commercials would consume more calories than those who viewed control advertisements.

There was no main effect of advertising condition on overall calorie consumption. Furthermore, there were no significant differences across condition in individual foods consumed, with the exception of chips. Specifically, participants who viewed the regular food ads consumed significantly more calories of chips than the control condition. Participants in the athlete condition consumed significantly more beverage calories than those in the control condition. These findings indicate athlete endorsements of food/beverage products do not have a direct influence on short-term calorie consumption, especially relating to food products. Athlete endorsement ads can have a direct influence on beverage consumption patterns during television viewing.

The three studies in this dissertation sought to address food policy issues related to the use of sports in food marketing campaigns.