Influence of Exposure to and Attitudes toward Food Brands on High-Energy Food Consumption among Thai Children Aged 10-18 Years

Abstract

Food branding promotes the consumption of energy-dense foods among children. This study aimed to examine the associations between sociodemographic factors, exposure to and attitudes toward food branding, and the consumption of energy-dense foods. Secondary data were obtained from the 2023 Thailand Food and Beverage Marketing Monitoring Project, a cross-sectional quantitative study using multistage sampling, with 2,113 participants from 11 provinces nationwide. The data included exposure to and attitudes toward food branding, consumption of seven categories of energy-dense foods, and individual characteristics. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used for analysis. The results showed that the most commonly consumed items were sugar-sweetened beverages (92%), followed by snacks (91.3%) and sweets (84.2%). Overall, 81.5% of participants reported exposure to food branding primarily through social media and video sharing platforms, followed by television (71.8%). Exposure to food branding via social media was associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (AOR=1.57; 95%CI: 1.08–2.29). Exposure via outdoor media was associated with the consumption of sweets (AOR=1.90; 95%CI: 1.28–2.83) and flavored milk (AOR=1.38; 95%CI: 1.11–1.71), while exposure via television was associated with fast food consumption (AOR=1.24; 95%CI: 1.05–1.70). In addition, sex, age, and education level were associated with flavored milk consumption, whereas region was associated with the consumption of sweets, instant foods, bakery products, and fast food. These findings highlight the importance of regulating food branding across media channels, and longitudinal studies are recommended to further examine causal relationships and other influencing factors.