Review of Research on the Effects of Food Promotion to Children Reading Answers

Apr 5, 2025

Review of Research on the Effects of Food Promotion on Children Reading Answers contains 13 questions, and it is a topic belonging to the assessment system of IELTS general reading test. Review of Research on the Effects of Food Promotion on Children Reading Answers has to be answered within 20 minutes. In this IELTS reading section, there are questions like Choosing the most suitable for paragraphs A to G and do the following statement agrees with the views of the writer. Also, Review of Research on the Effects of Food Promotion on Children Reading Answers talks about analyzing how advertising influences children's food choices and consumption habits. To practice reading papers like that, the candidates can refer to IELTS Reading Practice test.

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Topic:

Review of Research on the Effects of Food Promotion to Children

This review was commissioned by the Food Standards Agency to examine the current research evidence on:

• the extent and nature of food promotion to children

• the effect, if any, that this promotion has on their food knowledge, preferences and behaviour.

A. Children's food promotion is dominated by television advertising, and the great majority of this promotes the so-called 'Big Four' of pre-sugared breakfast cereals, soft-drinks, confectionary and savoury snacks. In the last ten years advertising for fast food outlets has rapidly increased. There is some evidence that the dominance of television has recently begun to wane. The importance of strong, global branding reinforces a need for multi-faceted communications combining television with merchandising, 'tie-ins' and point of sale activity. The advertised diet contrasts sharply with that recommended by public health advisors, and themes of fun and fantasy or taste, rather than health and nutrition, are used to promote it to children. Meanwhile, the recommended diet gets little promotional support.

B. There is plenty of evidence that children notice and enjoy food promotion. However, establishing whether this actually influences them is a complex problem. The review tackled it by looking at studies that had examined possible effects on what children know about food, their food preferences, their actual food behaviour (both buying and eating), and their health outcomes (eg. obesity or cholesterol levels). The majority of studies examined food advertising, but a few examined other forms of food promotion. In terms of nutritional knowledge, food advertising seems to have little influence on children's general perceptions of what constitutes a healthy diet, but, in certain contexts, it does have an effect on more specific types of nutritional knowledge. For example, seeing soft drink and cereal adverts reduced primary aged children's ability to determine correctly whether or not certain products contained real fruit.

C. The review also found evidence that food promotion influences children's food preferences and their purchase behaviour. A study of primary school children, for instance, found that exposure to advertising influenced which foods they claimed to like; and another showed that labelling and signage on a vending machine had an effect on what was bought by secondary school pupils. A number of studies have also shown that food advertising can influence what children eat. One, for example, showed that advertising influenced a primary class's choice of daily snack at playtime.

D. The next step, of trying to establish whether or not a link exists between food promotion and diet or obesity, is extremely difficult as it requires research to be done in real world settings. A number of studies have attempted this by using amount of television viewing as a proxy for exposure to television advertising. They have established a clear link between television viewing and diet, obesity, and cholesterol levels. It is impossible to say, however, whether this effect is caused by the advertising, the sedentary nature of television viewing or snacking that might take place whilst viewing. One study resolved this problem by taking a detailed diary of children's viewing habits. This showed that the more food adverts they saw, the more snacks and calories they consumed.

E. Thus the literature does suggest food promotion is influencing children's diet in a number of ways. This does not amount to proof; as noted above with this kind of research, incontrovertible proof simply isn't attainable. Nor do all studies point to this conclusion; several have not found an effect. In addition, very few studies have attempted to measure how strong these effects are relative to other factors influencing children's food choices. Nonetheless, many studies have found clear effects and they have used sophisticated methodologies that make it possible to determine that i) these effects are not just due to chance; ii) they are independent of other factors that may influence diet, such as parents' eating habits or attitudes; and iii) they occur at a brand and category level.

F. Furthermore, two factors suggest that these findings actually downplay the effect that food promotion has on children. First, the literature focuses principally on television advertising; the cumulative effect of this combined with other forms of promotion and marketing is likely to be significantly greater. Second, the studies have looked at direct effects on individual children, and understate indirect influences. For example, promotion for fast food outlets may not only influence the child, but also encourage parents to take them for meals and reinforce the idea that this is a normal and desirable behaviour.

G. This does not amount to proof of an effect, but in our view does provide sufficient evidence to conclude that an effect exists. The debate should now shift to what action is needed, and specifically to how the power of commercial marketing can be used to bring about improvements in young people's eating.

Questions 1-7

Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A-G.

Choose the most suitable heading for paragraphs A-G from the list of headings below. Write the appropriate number, i-x.

List of Headings

i. General points of agreements and disagreements of researchers

ii. How much children really know about food

ili. Need to take action

iv. Advertising effects of the "Big Four"

v. Connection of advertising and children's weight problems

vi. Evidence that advertising affects what children buy to eat

vii. How parents influence children's eating habits

viii. Advertising's focus on unhealthy options

ix. Children often buy what they want

x. Underestimating the effects advertising has on children

1. Paragraph A

Answer: viii. Advertising's focus on unhealthy options

Supporting statement: "Children's food promotion is dominated by television advertising, and the great majority of this promotes the so-called 'Big Four' of pre-sugared breakfast cereals, soft-drinks, confectionery and savoury snacks."

Keywords: advertising, unhealthy, focus

Keyword Location: Paragraph A, Line 1

Explanation: The paragraph discusses how advertising primarily promotes unhealthy food rather than nutritious options, aligning with the focus of advertising on unhealthy products.

2. paragraph B

Answer: ii. How much children really know about food

Supporting statement: "In terms of nutritional knowledge, food advertising seems to have little influence on children's general perceptions of what constitutes a healthy diet."

Keywords: children, knowledge, food

Keyword Location: Paragraph B, Line 5

Explanation: The paragraph examines how food promotion impacts children's understanding of nutrition, indicating they have limited knowledge despite exposure to advertisements.

3. Paragraph C

Answer: vi. Evidence that advertising affects what children buy to eat

Supporting statement: "A study of primary school children, for instance, found that exposure to advertising influenced which foods they claimed to like."

Keywords: advertising, affects, buy, eat

Keyword Location: Paragraph C, Line 1

Explanation: This paragraph highlights research showing how advertisements impact children's purchasing choices and eating behaviors.

4. Paragraph D

Answer: v. Connection of advertising and children's weight problems

Supporting statement: "A number of studies have attempted this by using amount of television viewing as a proxy for exposure to television advertising... established a clear link between television viewing and diet, obesity, and cholesterol levels."

Keywords: advertising, obesity, weight

Keyword Location: Paragraph D, Line 3

Explanation: The paragraph discusses studies linking television advertising exposure to childhood obesity, showing its potential impact on weight gain.

5. Paragraph E

Answer: i. General points of agreements and disagreements of researchers

Supporting statement: "Thus the literature does suggest food promotion is influencing children's diet in a number of ways... Nor do all studies point to this conclusion; several have not found an effect."

Keywords: agreements, disagreements, researchers

Keyword Location: Paragraph E, Line 1

Explanation: The paragraph presents different research perspectives, highlighting both supporting and opposing findings regarding advertising's impact on children's food choices.

6. Paragraph F

Answer: x. Underestimating the effects advertising has on children

Supporting statement: "Two factors suggest that these findings actually downplay the effect that food promotion has on children."

Keywords: underestimating, effects, children

Keyword Location: Paragraph F, Line 1

Explanation: The paragraph argues that the real influence of food promotion is likely greater than what studies suggest, emphasizing an underestimated impact.

7. Paragraph G

Answer: iii. Need to take action

Supporting statement: "The debate should now shift to what action is needed, and specifically to how the power of commercial marketing can be used to bring about improvements in young people's eating."

Keywords: action, needed, marketing

Keyword Location: Paragraph G, Line 2

Explanation: The paragraph shifts the discussion from research findings to the necessity of addressing the issue and using marketing for healthier eating habits.

Questions 8-13

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 1?

YES - if the statement agrees with the views of the writer

NO - if the statement contradicts the views of the writer

NOT GIVEN - if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

8. There is little difference between the number of healthy food advertisements and the number of unhealthy food advertisements.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: "The advertised diet contrasts sharply with that recommended by public health advisors, and themes of fun and fantasy or taste, rather than health and nutrition, are used to promote it to children. Meanwhile, the recommended diet gets little promotional support."

Keywords: healthy food advertisements, unhealthy food advertisements

Keyword Location: Paragraph A, Line 9

Explanation: The passage states that unhealthy food advertisements dominate, while healthy food receives little promotional support, contradicting the claim in the question.

9. TV advertising has successfully taught children nutritional knowledge about vitamins and others.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: "In terms of nutritional knowledge, food advertising seems to have little influence on children's general perceptions of what constitutes a healthy diet..."

Keywords: TV advertising, nutritional knowledge

Keyword Location: Paragraph B, Line 6

Explanation: The passage clearly states that food advertising does not significantly influence children's knowledge about nutrition, contradicting the claim.

10. It is hard to decide which aspect of TV viewing has caused weight problems of children.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: "It is impossible to say, however, whether this effect is caused by the advertising, the sedentary nature of television viewing or snacking that might take place whilst viewing."

Keywords: TV viewing, weight problems, cause

Keyword Location: Paragraph D, Line 5

Explanation: The passage confirms that it is difficult to determine whether obesity is due to advertising, lack of activity, or snacking while watching TV.

11. The preference of food for children is affected by their age and gender.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Supporting statement:

Keywords:

Keyword Location:

Explanation: The passage discusses the impact of advertising on children's food preferences but does not mention how age or gender influences these preferences.

12. Wealthy parents tend to buy more "sensible food" for their children.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Supporting statement:

Keywords:

Keyword Location:

Explanation: The passage does not discuss the food-buying habits of wealthy parents or whether they purchase healthier food for their children.

13. There is a lack of investigation on food promotion methods other than TV advertising.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: "The majority of studies examined food advertising, but a few examined other forms of food promotion."

Keywords: food promotion, methods other than TV advertising, lack of investigation

Keyword Location: Paragraph B, Line 4

Explanation: The passage states that most research focuses on TV advertising, with only a few studies on other methods, confirming a lack of investigation.

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