Gender representations in unhealthy food advertisement that appeal to adolescents- implications for obesity prevention
1
SAMRC/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science – PRICELESS SA, Universtiy of the Witwatersrand, School of Public Health, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3602
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Adolescent obesity in South Africa is prevalent and highly gendered. Three times more adolescent girls are overweight or obese, compared to boys. Food and beverage advertisements, which may be enabled or constrained by governance mechanisms such as policies, contain gender representations that are not considered in advertising regulations, but likely contribute to gendered obesity prevalence. Our objectives were to identify food and beverage advertisements that appeal to adolescents; describe how gender is represented in them; and discuss the implications for adolescent obesity prevention.
METHODS:
We conducted six focus group discussions, three each with Grade 9 boys (N=26) and girls (N=25) from three Johannesburg high schools, about the food and drink advertisements they like. We identified, wrote summary narratives and conducted content analysis of the advertisements, to identify: the food or drink advertised; gender of primary character and/or narrator; setting; and presence or absence of 10 stereotypical or alternative gender representations.
RESULTS:
Participants made specific references to 149 advertisements they liked, of which 17 were duplicates and 55 were identified through online searches and analysed. They were mainly for fast food (N=15), sugary drinks (N=7), sweet snacks (N=9), salty snacks (N=4), condiments (N=4) and alcohol (N=7). Stereotypical gender representations, such as men drinking beer or driving cars in public places, and women cooking in domestic settings or wearing revealing clothing, predominated. Advertisements that contained alternative gender representations of women, also contained stereotypical gender representations. Illustrative examples of gender representations are presented.
CONCLUSIONS:
Stereotypical gender representations are a feature of unhealthy food and drink advertising in South Africa, that create appeal for adolescent boys and girls. Representing gender in stereotypical and alternative ways is a marketing tactic. Acknowledging and addressing gender and its representation in unhealthy food and beverage advertisements, could enhance policies and programs that aim to address adolescent obesity.
Adolescent obesity in South Africa is prevalent and highly gendered. Three times more adolescent girls are overweight or obese, compared to boys. Food and beverage advertisements, which may be enabled or constrained by governance mechanisms such as policies, contain gender representations that are not considered in advertising regulations, but likely contribute to gendered obesity prevalence. Our objectives were to identify food and beverage advertisements that appeal to adolescents; describe how gender is represented in them; and discuss the implications for adolescent obesity prevention.
METHODS:
We conducted six focus group discussions, three each with Grade 9 boys (N=26) and girls (N=25) from three Johannesburg high schools, about the food and drink advertisements they like. We identified, wrote summary narratives and conducted content analysis of the advertisements, to identify: the food or drink advertised; gender of primary character and/or narrator; setting; and presence or absence of 10 stereotypical or alternative gender representations.
RESULTS:
Participants made specific references to 149 advertisements they liked, of which 17 were duplicates and 55 were identified through online searches and analysed. They were mainly for fast food (N=15), sugary drinks (N=7), sweet snacks (N=9), salty snacks (N=4), condiments (N=4) and alcohol (N=7). Stereotypical gender representations, such as men drinking beer or driving cars in public places, and women cooking in domestic settings or wearing revealing clothing, predominated. Advertisements that contained alternative gender representations of women, also contained stereotypical gender representations. Illustrative examples of gender representations are presented.
CONCLUSIONS:
Stereotypical gender representations are a feature of unhealthy food and drink advertising in South Africa, that create appeal for adolescent boys and girls. Representing gender in stereotypical and alternative ways is a marketing tactic. Acknowledging and addressing gender and its representation in unhealthy food and beverage advertisements, could enhance policies and programs that aim to address adolescent obesity.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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