A Empirical Study on the Eating Habits and Healthcare Influenced by Food Advertisement

Abstract

Advertising is an integral part of today’s business. It is in the last few years that advertising has developed into a major industry. It is a method of communication to promote a product and to attract the prospective consumers. Advertisement may generally have their impact on consumer as their consumption behavior is affected. The situation is in such a way that they can’t imagine the world without advertisements. The consumers use advertisements to buy the products for all their needs and wants in their day to day activities. Multiple channels and techniques are used to reach large number of consumers. However advertisements affect the food consumption behavior of children and adults too. Advertisement takes place at multiple levels in the food marketing. Eating habits and food consumption is directly and indirectly related to obesity, diabetes, cancers and heart diseases. Food advertising is frequently promoting less nutrients foods, and short term exposure results in children increasing their food consumption. This article focuses on the misleading food advertisement in India to prove that they are an indirect factor contributing to the increase in the level of obesity and other health disorders among the children and adults.