Children’s, parents’ and professional stakeholders’ views on power concerning the regulation of online advertising of unhealthy food to young people in the UK: A qualitative study

Carters-White, L., Hilton, S. , Skivington, K. and Chambers, S. (2022) Children’s, parents’ and professional stakeholders’ views on power concerning the regulation of online advertising of unhealthy food to young people in the UK: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE, 17(6), e0268701. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268701) (PMID:35696387) (PMCID:PMC9191734)

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Abstract

Examinations of corporate power have demonstrated the practices and activities Unhealthy Commodity Industries (UCIs) employ to exert their power and influence on the public and health policy. The High in Fat Sugar and Salt (HFSS) product industry have exploited the online environment to market their products to young people. Regulating UCIs’ marketing can limit the power of those industries and is argued to be one of the most appropriate policy responses to such marketing. However, there is minimal consideration of how stakeholders view regulation of online advertising of HFSS products to young people. This UK-focused study addressed this through a secondary analysis of focus groups with young people (n = 15), the primary analysis of focus groups with parents (n = 8), and interviews with professional stakeholders (n = 11). The findings indicated that participants’ views on the regulation of online advertising of HFSS products were informed by how professional stakeholders exerted instrumental, structural and discursive power. Participants cited regulation as a means to re-negotiate problematic power dynamics to increase young people’s and parents’ autonomy over young people’s diets, yet concern remained as to the impact regulation may have on individual autonomy. To garner increased public support for such regulatory policies, it may be beneficial for advocates to emphasise the empowering elements of those regulatory policies. Advocacy actors may wish to shift their framing of regulation from one that focuses on restricting industry practices, to one that centres on empowering individuals.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:LCW was supported by a Medical Research Council PhD studentship (MC_ST_U15006), a MRC Transition Fellowship (MR/N0131661/1) and the UK Research and Innovation Councils SPECTRUM Consortium (MR/S037519/1). LCW is a member of SPECTRUM a UK Prevention Research Partnership Consortium. UKPRP is an initiative funded by the UK Research and Innovation Councils, the Department of Health and Social Care (England) and the UK devolved administrations, and leading health research charities. SC was supported by a Medical Research Council Strategic Award (MC_PC_13027), Medical Research Council grants (MC_UU_12017/14; MC_UU_12017/12; MC_UU_00022/1) and Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate grants (SPHSU12; SPHSU14; SPHSU16). SH was supported by Medical Research Council grant (MC_UU_12017/ 15) and the Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate grant (SPHSU15). KS was supported by a Medical Research Council Strategic Award (MC_PC_13027), Medical Research Council Grants (MC_UU_12017/11; MC_UU_00022/3), and the Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate grants (SPHSU11; SPHSU18).
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Skivington, Dr Kathryn and Hilton, Professor Shona and Chambers, Dr Stephanie
Creator Roles:
Hilton, S.Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – review and editing
Skivington, K.Formal analysis, Supervision, Writing – review and editing
Chambers, S.Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – review and editing
Authors: Carters-White, L., Hilton, S., Skivington, K., and Chambers, S.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU
College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
Journal Name:PLoS ONE
Publisher:Public Library of Science
ISSN:1932-6203
ISSN (Online):1932-6203
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in PLoS ONE 17(6):e0268701
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
168560MRC SPHSU/GU Transfer FellowshipsLaurence MooreMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_PC_13027SHW - MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit
727661Complexity in Health ImprovementLaurence MooreMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_UU_12017/14HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
727641Understanding and Improving Health within Settings and OrganisationsKathryn HuntMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_UU_12017/12HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
3048230011Complexity in healthSharon SimpsonMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_UU_00022/1HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
727641Understanding and Improving Health within Settings and OrganisationsKathryn HuntOffice of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)SPHSU12HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
727661Complexity in Health ImprovementLaurence MooreOffice of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)SPHSU14HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
3048230061Complexity in healthSharon SimpsonOffice of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)SPHSU16HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
727671Informing Healthy Public PolicyPeter CraigMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_UU_12017/15HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
727671Informing Healthy Public PolicyPeter CraigOffice of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)SPHSU15HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
168560MRC SPHSU/GU Transfer FellowshipsLaurence MooreMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_PC_13027SHW - MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit
727631Social Relationships & Health ImprovementLisa McDaidMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_UU_12017/11HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
3048230031Relationships and healthKirstin MitchellMedical Research Council (MRC)MC_UU_00022/3HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
727631Social Relationships & Health ImprovementLisa McDaidOffice of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)SPHSU11HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
3048230081Relationships and healthKirstin MitchellOffice of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)SPHSU18HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit