A new study crom the Hood Center for Children and Families at Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) shows that most "brand placements" for food, beverage, and food retail establishments that are frequently displayed in movies, are for "energy-dense, nutrient-poor" foods or product lines.   For the first time, this study sheds light on just how impactful advertising (negatively) to children can be, in terms of food choices and nutrition.

"The current situation in the United States is very serious in terms of the health of our children, and we have to look seriously at all of the factors that may be contributing to it, including the impact of product placements in movies," says Lisa Sutherland, Ph.D. the lead author of the study. In the current edition of the journal Pediatrics, Sutherland says that the diet quality of U.S. children and adolescents has declined markedly during the past 20 years, and current estimates suggest that only one percent of children eat a diet consistent with the U.S.

According to Science Daily, the study notes that of particular concern are the food and beverage product placements in comedies and PG-rated and PG-13-rated movies, which are often geared specifically to older children and teenagers, who are at an age where they are gaining independence with respect to their food choices. Although the impact of this type of advertising on children is not fully known, it provides a likely avenue by which brand loyalty and product preference can be built in addition to eating patterns.

Sutherland says, "At a time in their development where children and adolescents are very susceptible to outside influences, we have to carefully examine the influence of all the factors that are combining to create what may end up being lifelong habits around food and lifestyle choices. Certainly, food-product placement in movies is one of many factors, but it is one that may be far more influential than previously realized and perhaps the least well understood."