Television Ads and Young People's Diet in Cyprus

This article reports on the dietary issues discussed at an April 2002 conference on "Diet among the Young - Influences, Habits, Knowledge". It also summarises results of a dietary study conducted by students at the Lyceum of Acropolis secondary school.



Westernised eating habits, according to the author, have contributed to increased rates of obesity in Cyprus. The large amounts of fast food consumed in westernised countries seem to be directly related to obesity. The author quotes the Minister of Education and Culture who suggests sensitising and informing students about the effects of "imported or randomly acquired eating habits."



Television can influence perception, according to the author, not only through commercial spots, but
through product placement and "indirect advertising". Examples cited include product placement in reality shows, and the promotion of beer consumption through the sitcom "Cheers".



This article also reports on a study conducted by Lyceum of Acropolis students on the role of advertising in eating habits. The study found that students were most impressed by ads from "products that had been on the market a long time", with Coca Cola ads reported as the most impressive. Most students (76%) reported that they were not influenced by television advertising, yet many reported being influenced in just the last week to buy "hamburgers (13%), soft drinks (10%), cereal (5%) and 7 Days Croissants (5%)." Additional data is reported on consumption of sweets and alcohol.



The author concludes that while television and other media probably play a role in young people's choices, more research is needed.