Predicting Support For Restricting Food Marketing To Youth

To address the obesity crisis, public health experts recommend major reductions in the marketing of unhealthy food to youth. However, policies to restrict food marketing are not currently viewed as politically feasible. This paper examines attitudes and knowledge about food marketing and support for restricting unhealthy food marketing restrictions among one group of constituents: parents. A survey of 807 parents found that those most likely to support food marketing restrictions were also more likely to have negative views. These findings suggest that increased public education about the harm caused by food marketing may increase public support for policy interventions.