(P05-001-23) Characteristics of Actors Used To Promote Healthy and Unhealthy Foods and Beverages in Ghana Television Advertisements

Objectives: In Ghana, unhealthy, ultra-processed foods and beverages have increased in availability. Advertisements promote these products with depictions of idealized physical attractiveness. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable and susceptible to unrealistic body aspirations and developing desire for promoted products. This study aimed to describe how food and beverage advertising portray idealized bodies to promote healthy and unhealthy foods in Accra, Ghana.

Methods: From Feb-May 2020, 486 television programming hours were recorded. Content analysis of food and beverage advertisements with a full body view of at least one actor were coded for product promoted (healthy or unhealthy using INFORMAS’ classification), actor genders and body sizes (using Ettarh’s silhouettes), and promotional strategies (discount, power characters). Group differences were evaluated using Chi-square tests.

Results: Across 607 advertisements were 2043 actors (3.4/advertisement), evenly distributed by gender (51% males, n=1038). Two and a half times as many actors were underweight (n=1472) than any other body size (normal weight n=419, overweight/obese n=152). Among underweight actors, males (n=866/1472) were more prevalent than females (p < 0.001), whereas females were more prevalent among normal weight (n=307/419, p< 0.001) and overweight/obese (n=99/152, p< 0.001) actors. Most advertisements promoted sugar-sweetened beverages (24%), grains (28%), recipe additions (13%), and dairy (13%). Unhealthy products (n=379/607) were disproportionately promoted with underweight actors (n=1062/1394, p< 0.001). Body sizes were more equally distributed when promoting dairy, meat, and alcohol. Promotional strategies were more prevalent in evenings (n=127/229, p< 0.001), used underweight (n=755/1033, p< 0.01) and male (n=605/1033, p< 0.001) actors, and for unhealthy products (n=379/567).

Conclusions: Most food and beverage TV advertisements promoted unhealthy products and used underweight actors. Idealizing underweight actors promotes unrealistic body expectations. Future interventions with adolescents should promote realistic body positivity messages and explore regulatory mechanisms for food and beverage advertising.

Funding Sources: International Development Research Centre’s Food, Environment, and Health Programme; University of South Carolina