One promising approach to influence nutrition behavior is to limit food and beverage marketing to children. Children are a lucrative market and schools may be an effective setting in which to intervene. Studies have shown that marketing in schools is prevalent but little is known about digital marketing to students in the school setting. Researchers used an online survey to assess digital marketing environments in a national sample of middle schools. The findings demonstrate that students are exposed to marketing through school-issued devices (i.e., laptops, tablets). Gaps in school district, school, and classroom policy and practice lead to student exposure to food and beverage marketing. These data point to actionable policy and practice change at the school district, individual school, and classroom levels that could help limit unwanted and harmful food and beverage marketing to youth.
Published: September 2019
ID #: 73389
Journal: Journal of School Health
Authors: Polacsek M, Boninger F, Molnar A, O'Brien LM
Keywords: Digital marketing, School wellness policies, Sugar-sweetened beverages
Focus Areas: Food Marketing, School & After School
Resource Type: Journal Article
State: National
Age Group: Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Related Research
February 2016
Assessing Digital Food and Beverage Marketing in Middle Schools Nationally to Inform Policy to Restrict Marketers’ Access to Children
This study aims to assess school digital marketing environments in a national sample of middle schools to identify opportunities and barriers to limit school-based marketing. This team previously developed a survey to assess digital marketing in schools as part of a previous HER-funded grant which will be used in this study. The specific aims of MoreAugust 2025
Universal Free School Meal Policies and Participation in the US National School Meal Programs
This study aimed to examine the impact of federal- and state-level Universal Free School Meal (UFSM) policies and related policies on National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) participation rates during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This comparative effectiveness research study used a natural experiment created by the COVID-19 pandemic to analyze MoreFebruary 2025