Nutrition and Health Advertising: Evidence from Food Advertising, 1977-1997

This book reviews data on the types of claims made in 11,647 advertisements taken from a sample of eight leading magazines between 1977 and 1997. The primary focus of this study is on advertising claims related to health and nutrition, but it also examines other types of advertising claims. The book goes on to further review how nutrition-related claims in advertising changed under the various regulatory policies in place during these years. It is revealed that nutrition-related claims were a major focus of food advertising and an important focus of competition during the two-decade period covered by the report. Moreover, data indicate a sustained movement toward specific nutrient claims, such as 'low-fat', in place of, or in addition to, more general nutrition claims, such as 'nutritious'. This study finds that changes in advertising content appear to be associated with changes in regulatory rules and enforcement policies. Broad Trends in Food Advertising; Nutrition Claims in Food Advertising; Health Claims in Food Advertising; Regulation and Advertising Claims; Economics of Advertising: Issues and Evidence; Conclusion; References; Index.