Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40790784›Full record

ArticleBMC nutrition2025

Youth exposure to unhealthy digital food marketing in relation to race/ethnicity and income adequacy in Canada.

Laura Vergeer, Carolina Soto, Mariangela Bagnato, Elise Pauzé, Ashley Amson, Tim Ramsay, Dana Lee Olstad, Vivian Welch, Monique Potvin Kent

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Laura VergeerSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Carolina SotoSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Mariangela BagnatoSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Elise PauzéInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Ashley AmsonInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Tim RamsayOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Dana Lee OlstadDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Vivian WelchSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Monique Potvin KentSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. monique.potvinkent@uottawa.ca.

Funding

CIHR PJT 178193
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundYouth of racial/ethnic minority groups and lower-income households are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy food marketing on television; however, there is limited evidence concerning digital marketing. This study examined differences in Canadian youth's exposure to digital food marketing by race/ethnicity and household income adequacy.

methodsFrequency of food marketing exposure via digital platforms and digital food marketing techniques were self-reported by 996 youth in Canada aged 10-17 years. Proportional odds and logistic regression models explored differences between racial/ethnic (White vs. racial/ethnic minority) and income adequacy groups (low vs. medium vs. high), adjusted for sociodemographic and digital device usage variables.

resultsWhite participants had lower odds of more frequent exposure to digital marketing of sugary drinks (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.52-0.94), sugary cereals (OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.42-0.76), fruits/vegetables (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.45-0.87), salty/savoury snacks (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.47-0.85), fast food (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.55-0.99), and desserts/sweets (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.50-0.91) than racial/ethnic minority youth. Compared to youth from low income adequacy households, those with medium income adequacy were less likely to report more frequent exposure to marketing of sugary drinks (OR: 0.67; 95 CI: 0.51-0.89), fast food (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.87), and desserts/sweets (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.49-0.87). White youth were less likely than racial/ethnic minority youth to report exposure to unhealthy food marketing on ≥ 1 social media platform(s) (OR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.30-0.68) and gaming/TV/music streaming platform/website(s) (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.99); no differences were observed between income groups. White youth were less likely than racial/ethnic minority youth to report exposure to marketing featuring incentives/premiums (OR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.52-0.99) and cross-promotions (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.99). Participants of higher (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49-0.95) and medium (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50-0.93) income adequacy were less likely to report exposure to marketing featuring celebrities than those with low income adequacy.

conclusionsYouth of racial/ethnic minorities report more frequent exposure to digital food marketing, especially for unhealthy foods, than White youth in Canada. Differences were also observed between income groups. Comprehensive marketing regulations are needed to limit all youths' exposure to unhealthy digital food marketing.

Indexed as

Digital mediaFood marketingIncomeRace/ethnicityYouth

Identifiers

PMID40790784
PMCPMC12337367

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.