New Report Finds Food Advertising to Children Down Slightly but Still High

A new report from the Rudd Center found that children viewed 5% fewer food and beverage advertisements in 2011 compared with 2010, while adolescent exposure remained flat and adult exposure increased by 4%. The average 2- to 11-year-old saw 12.8 food and beverage ads per day in 2011 compared with 13.4 ads in 2010 and 14.0 ads in 2004 (the peak of children’s food advertising exposure). This 2011 reduction somewhat reversed the dramatic upward trend recorded in 2010, but exceeded children’s average annual ad exposure from 2006 to 2009.