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Food ads intensify unhealthy cravings

ANI | Updated: Jun 18, 2018 10:52 IST

Washington D.C. [USA], June 18 (ANI): A recent research has found how food advertisements increase unhealthy cravings.
Eager to understand the reasons for this growing crisis, marketing researchers explored whether holistic thinking patterns--which are generally more common in Eastern countries--could make consumers in these parts of the world more susceptible to certain types of advertisements for unhealthy foods.
Holistic thinkers tend to believe that everything in the world is somehow interconnected, and they are more likely to consider the context of a situation, said Utah Valley University assistant professor Dustin Harding, one of the authors.
An advertisement showing a bag of popcorn in the context of a movie theater would likely evoke feelings related to enjoying popcorn while watching a good flick--feelings that increase craving for the snack.
Analytical thinkers, however, are less likely to consider the context because they view the universe as independent objects that are not connected. They would probably see the popcorn in isolation from the theater--and experience fewer cravings than their holistic counterparts.
To test whether certain advertisements induced higher levels of cravings in holistic thinkers, Harding's team conducted several experiments.
The researchers hope their findings will help countries that are battling with obesity epidemics. "Regulations on advertisements could be a strategy in countries that are trying to help people make healthier food decisions," Harding said. "Consumers could also become more aware of their thinking styles and make informed choices."
"Holistic thinkers could consider avoiding television commercials or magazines that are rife with advertisements that induce cravings," he said.
The study appears in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. (ANI)