Mothers’ perceptions of the negative impact on TV food ads on children’s food choices

This exploratory study investigates the opinions of mothers who have at least one child between the ages of 7 and 12 in terms of the impact of TV food advertising on their children. This research also examines whether there is any third person effect active in mothers’ opinions of TV food advertising aimed at children by asking them about both the impact on their own children, and the children of strangers. The results reveal that most mothers in the study have generally negative attitudes toward TV food advertising aimed at children, but they believe that the children of strangers are more negatively impacted by exposure to the ads than their own children.

• Young mothers’ opinions about the impact of TV fast-food ads. • The Presence of social distance/third person effect regarding the mothers’ opinions. • Basically, most mothers have generally negative attitudes toward TV fast-food ads. • Most mothers believe the children they don’t know are more negatively impacted by the ads.