The Impact Of Image-Size Manipulation And Sugar Content On Children's Cereal Consumption

Previous studies have demonstrated that portion sizes and food energy-density influence children's eating behavior. However, the potential effects of front-of-pack image-sizes of serving suggestions and sugar content have not been tested. Using a mixed experimental design among young children, this study examines the effects of image-size manipulation and sugar content on cereal and milk consumption. Children poured and consumed significantly more cereal and drank significantly more milk when exposed to a larger sized image of serving suggestion as compared to a smaller image-size. Sugar content showed no main effects. Nevertheless, cereal consumption only differed significantly between small and large image-sizes when sugar content was low. An advantage of this study was the mundane setting in which the data were collected: a school’s dining room instead of an artificial lab. Future studies should include a control condition, with children eating by themselves to reflect an even more natural context. Keywords: children, advertising, image-size manipulation, cereal intake, consumption, front-of-pack marketing

Publication year:2015

BOF-keylabel:yes

IOF-keylabel:yes

BOF-publication weight:2

CSS-citation score:1

Authors from:Higher Education

Accessibility:Open