電視食品廣告暴露對國小學童飲食相關行為的影響

The influence of television food advertising exposure on eating-related behaviors among elementary school children

目標：本研究目的在探討國小學童暴露於不利健康點心（unhealthy snacks [UHSs]）電視廣告對其飲食相關行為的影響。方法：採橫斷式問卷調查，研究對象為12所國小的3-6年級學童共1,043名。以結合兒童自我報告收視行為及電視食品廣告內容分析資料來測量UHS廣告暴露量。不利健康食品包括：「澱粉油炸類零食」、「餅乾、蛋糕、西點」、「糖果、巧克力」、「含糖飲料」及「西式速食」。資料分析方式為階層複迴歸。結果：在控制性別、年齡、BMI、靜態活動時間、UHS家庭可獲性及學校地區都市化程度後，「UHS廣告暴露」可顯著增加對「UHS食品慾望」（ΔR^2=.011, p＜.001）、「UHS食品要求」（ΔR^2=.004, p＜.05）及「UHS飲食頻率」（ΔR^2=.003, p＜.05）的解釋力。「UHS廣告暴露」與上述飲食行為呈正向關連，學童暴露於不利健康食品廣告愈多，不利健康飲食行為愈多。結論：不利健康食品電視廣告對兒童的健康飲食行為有負向影響。本研究實證結果支持政府採取規範兒童食品廣告的政策，並建議發展介入策略以提高兒童對不利健康食品廣告的防禦能力。

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between exposure to television advertising for unhealthy snacks (UHSs) and subsequent eating-related behaviors among elementary school children in Taiwan. Methods: Third to sixth grade students were recruited from 12 elementary schools in Taiwan in order to conduct cross-sectional surveys based on questionnaires. The sample comprised 1043 students. Estimates for the exposure to UHS advertising were obtained by combining self-reported television viewing behavior with advertising data obtained from broadcasters. UHS products included ＂starch-based fried snacks,＂ ＂cookies, cakes, and desserts,＂ ＂candies and chocolate,＂ ＂sugar-sweetened drinks,＂ and ＂fast-food meals.＂ Hierarchical multiple regression was used for data analysis. Results: After controlling for age, gender, BMI, sedentary time, availability of UHSs in the home, and the degree of urbanization of the school location, the UHS advertising exposure was shown to account for significant additional variance in children’s desires (ΔR^2 = .011, p ＜ .001) and requests (ΔR^2 = .004, p ＜ .05) related to UHSs as well as their consumption frequencies of UHSs (ΔR^2 = .003, p ＜ .05). Positive linear relationships were observed between the number of UHS advertisements to which children were exposed and their unhealthy eating-related behaviors. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that television advertising for UHSs can have a negative effect on the healthy dietary behaviors of children. The findings provide evidence to support calls for regulating television advertising for food aimed at children as well as the development of interventions for improving children’s defenses against advertising for UHSs.