Friday Favorites: The Role of Marketing and Food Advertisements in the Obesity Epidemic
The unprecedented rise in the power, scope, and sophistication of food marketing starting around 1980 aligns with the skyrocketing of the obesity epidemic. We like to think we make important life decisions like what to eat consciously and rationally, but if that were the case, we wouldn’t be in the midst of an obesity epidemic.
I think most of us think we’re too smart to fall for marketing ploys, but are we really seeing through them? This is part of a comprehensive video series on obesity, which started with:
• The Role of Diet vs. Exercise in the Obesity Epidemic ( )
• The Role of Genes in the Obesity Epidemic ( )
• The Thrifty Gene Theory: Survival of the Fattest ( )
• Cut the Calorie-Rich-And-Processed Foods ( )
• The Role of Processed Foods in the Obesity Epidemic ( )
• The Role of Taxpayer Subsidies in the Obesity Epidemic ( )
The three remaining videos are:
• The Role of Personal Responsibility in the Obesity Epidemic ( )
• The Role of Corporate Influence in the Obesity Epidemic ( )
• The Role of the Toxic Food Environment in the Obesity Epidemic ( )
New subscribers to our e-newsletter always receive a free gift. Get yours here: .
Have a question about this video? Leave it in the comment section at and someone on the NutritionFacts.org team will try to answer it.
Want to get a list of links to all the scientific sources used in this video? Click on Sources Cited at . You’ll also find a transcript and acknowledgements for the video, my blog and speaking tour schedule, and an easy way to search (by translated language even) through our videos spanning more than 2,000 health topics.
Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM
Captions for this video are available in several languages; you can find yours in the video settings. View important information about our translated resources:
• Subscribe:
• Donate:
• Podcast :
• Books:
• Shop:
• Facebook:
• Twitter:
• Instagram:
What do you admire about the relationship? 💞
Jesus loves you but He does not like you exploiting women.
What
Gracias por informarnos.
A lot of UK supermarkets have committed to removing the junk food from checkout areas and instead stock them with snack packs of nuts, dried fruit, and ‘healthier’ bars such as those made from dates. It’s a small step, but at least it’s in a more positive direction of travel.
That’s such a great idea!🖤
That is a great idea!! ❤
❤and change the “fiduciary responsibilities” to ALSO look at long term health of customers. Too many big investors have turned “investing” into a money grab for the near term.
So disturbing! Thank you for sharing this information!
Thank you, Dr G
These videos deserve more views! Your work is highly appreciated, Dr. Greger.
Almost as bad in the Netherlands too, though the European rules are much stricter
Good at least Europe understands real food and doesn’t manipulate it for monetary gain.
@@slimelove3493I wish that were more true
@@slimelove3493 not really. And US pressure weakens EU day by day.
Thanks
Thank you so much for covering <3
Dr. Greger is the real G in the Nutrition Science community.
Fascinating!
Horrifying. I was distressed at all the complaints about the first part of How Not To Diet when this sort of influence is a big factor in the poor choices being made. How can you counteract manipulation if you don’t recognize it? The beef, egg, and dairy subsidies are another bugaboo but I can’t get started on that.
In Germany, some polizicians wanted to ban commercials for sweets and junk. Other parties argued, that this would impair our freedom.
Last month, Facebook was all about amulets to protect you from emf. This month, it’s hydrogenated water. What a load.
I thought these are widely known facts. And these are true everywhere. An industry is that, an industry. And all profit oriented industries are driven by profit not the health of people or the planet.
And it is all subliminal. It was cool to see (ages ago) back in uni how it worked. Showing sounds and pictures (ads) to ppl while they were in a pet scan, and measuring EEG while simultaneously tracking eye movements. Temperatures in different parts of the body. This is how it’s made.
Those participants in the wine study weren’t denying anything. They told what they thought to be the truth.
Our biggest fallacy is that we think we are thinking beings while in fact we are mostly instinct driven animals like any other, predictably responding to stimuli.
Industry and marketing is also at least partly responsible for why our communities and roadways are not constructed in a way that is safe for pedestrians, cyclists and other forms of exercise and non-motor travel. We pay a lot for roads, cars and other personal motor vehicles that profit large companies. Much less is spent for environmentally cleaner public transportation. Exceedingly little is spent to make communities easy to traverse through human movement. The way the system works, it is far too easy to eat too much and move too little.
Great point!
Exactly! Not to mention the modern road network was first invented and built for bicycles, with pedestrian sidewalks and/or for mixed use. Then cars took over.
Shipping, chemical industries, electronics and post “green revolution” agribusiness are the biggest pollutants and the killers of our planet.
All driven by the same environment, created by greed and short time personal gain of the very few.
0:00: ⚖️ Shift from subsidies to payments for increased production led to excess calories in food supply.
02:17: 💰 Commercialization of shelf space in supermarkets through ‘pay-to-play’ tactics.
4:44: ⚖️ Impact of marketing strategies on consumer behavior and food choices leading to obesity epidemic.
6:56: 🎶 The influence of music on consumer product choices in a study conducted at a supermarket.
9:54: 📺 Impact of food advertisements on consumer behavior and choices, leading to increased consumption of unhealthy snacks.
Timestamps by Tammy AI
Greed is going to be the end of civilization. Keep pushing against the tidal wave with science, Dr G and NutritionFacts Team.
In the UK the BBC shows no adverts. Some people, such as myself, never watch the commercial (advert funded) channels.
Wonder if anyone has looked to see if BBC viewers are less likely to be obese?
The line must go up!