Prevention Matters

A new study published online by the Journal Pediatrics (PDF), takes a first-ever look at the prevalence of food brand placements in popular motion pictures and finds a veritable cornucopia. The Dartmouth Medical School analysis of 200 top box office movie hits that appeared in theaters between 1996 to 2005 yielded a bounty of product placements, mostly for "brands that represent energy-dense, nutrient-poor products and/or product lines."

Researchers identified a total of 1,180 brand placements, including 427 food, 425 beverage, and 328 food retail establishment brand placements. Candy/confections (26%) and salty snacks (21%) were the most prevalent food brands, sugar-sweetened beverages (76%) were the most prevalent beverage brands, and fast food comprised two thirds of the food retail establishment brand placements.