Research Briefs

Targeting Food and Beverage TV Ads at Minority and Low Income Children.  A Research Brief. The African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network in partnership with Bridging the Gap. October 2014.

Obesity prevalence and related health burdens are greater among U.S. racial/ethnic minority and low-income populations. Targeted advertising may contribute to disparities. Designated market area (DMA) spot television ratings were used to assess geographic differences in child/adolescent exposure to food-related advertisements based on DMA-level racial/ethnic and income characteristics. Controlling for unobserved DMA-level factors and time trends, child/adolescent exposure to food-related ads, particularly for sugar-sweetened beverages and fast-food restaurants, was significantly higher in areas with higher proportions of black children/adolescents and lower-income households. Geographically targeted TV ads are important to consider when assessing obesity-promoting influences in black and low-income neighborhoods.

This research brief is based on: Powell, Lisa M., Roy Wada, and Shiriki K. Kumanyika (2014). Racial/ethnic and income disparities in child and adolescent exposure to food and beverage television ads across the U.S. media markets. Health & Place, 29:124-131.

Click to download a copy (PDF format).

 

Impact of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption on Black Americans' Health. A Research Brief. The African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network. January 2011.

This research brief, authored by members of the African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network (AACORN), summarizes trends in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption among black adults and youth, outlines related health consequences, and identifies research needs and priorities that could help inform policies to reduce SSB consumption among black Americans. To emphasize areas of disparity, the brief provides comparison data for white Americans where available and also includes some data for Hispanic Americans, another ethnic minority population potentially affected by the same types of SSB issues.

Click to download a copy (PDF format).