Evaluation of televised food advertisements during COVID-19 period

Nikbay, C.Y., Evaluation of Televised Food Advertisements During COVID-19 Period, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences Food Service Systems Master's Thesis, Ankara, 2024. Individuals food choices are shaped according to the content in the advertisements. For this reason, it is of great importance to examine the food advertisements broadcast on television and to make arrangements accordingly. This study was conducted to examine the duration and content of food advertisements broadcast on 7 national channels between 08:00 and 23:00 every day of the week between December 2019 and May 2020 and to evaluate them with Nutrient Profile Models. Nutrient profiles of foods and beverages in food advertisements were evaluated by means of 5 different Nutrient Profile Models. These are: NUTRI-SCORE, WHO Euro Nutrient Profile Model, FSA-OFCOM Nutrient Profile Model, Türkiye Nutrient Profile Model and NRF 9.3 Nutrient Profile Model. In the study, food labels of a total of 380 foods and beverages were evaluated. It was found that energy, carbohydrate, protein and fat values were included in the nutrition labels of all packaged foods and beverages except 1 food in the chocolate-wafer category. It was observed that all of the foods and beverages examined and for which labelling information was available had the nutrition label on the back of the packaging. In the study, it was observed that foods that were not allowed to be advertised were frequently included in the advertisements broadcast on television. The duration and frequency of food adverts broadcast during the COVID period are higher than other product adverts. As a result of the study, FSA-OFCOM, NUTRI-SCORE and WHO Euro Model were found to be the most appropriate models for the evaluation of advertisements. In Turkey, it is necessary to conduct Nutrient Profile Models studies including traditional products to be used in the restriction of advertisements.