Pop Stars Often Promote Junk Food, Influencing Teen Eating Habits
Sugary sodas get frequent endorsements from pop stars. (Photo: Getty Images)
While music feeds the soul, it might also be filling bodies with poor nutritional content: According to a study released this week in the journal Pediatrics, the majority of music stars who endorse food and beverage products in ads directed toward children and adolescents are standing behind, well, junk. And as a result, the promotion is contributing to the childhood and teen obesity crisis.
For the study, investigators from NYU Langone Medical Center analyzed the healthfulness of the food and drinks marketed by music stars during a 14-year period. In order to rate the biggest influencers among the younger generation, researchers reviewed the winners from the Teen Choice Awards and recorded the number of views on YouTube videos related to food and nonalcoholic beverages being publicized by celebrities.
Related: Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey and Her Incredible Curls Are Bringing Diversity to Hair Ads
In general, endorsements were defined as anything promoted on any media source (television, magazines, Internet, radio), as well as sponsored products during a singer’s concert.
Among the most popular items being marketed by the songsters: soda and sugary drinks, fast foods, and sweets — and about 81 percent of these items were deemed “nutrient poor.” As for the number of music stars who marketed fruits, vegetables, or whole grains? Zero.
Other startling statistics: Food and beverage companies spend $2 billion a year on youth-targeted ads in America, where children are viewing, on average, 4,700 ads each year and teens are viewing about 5,900. And even though many companies have taken a pledge to not target children with certain marketing, teens are not part of that promise.
Here are just a handful of the celebs who’ve been singing the praises of fast food, processed food, and soda:
Beyoncé for Pepsi
Justin Timberlake for McDonald’s and Pepsi
Britney Spears for McDonald’s and Pepsi
Katy Perry for Pepsi
Mac Miller and Lil Wayne for Mountain Dew
Maroon 5 for Coca-Cola
Pitbull for Dr. Pepper and Pepsi
Snoop Dogg for Hot Pockets
But the pop stars haven’t been the only ones hawking the unhealthy stuff. Over the years, even athletes have graced the airwaves and billboards with their brands of choice, such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant for McDonald’s; Peyton Manning for Papa John’s; and Venus and Serena Williams, Eli and Peyton Manning (again!), Apollo Ohno and Shaquille O’Neal, all for Oreo.
Related: Here’s How to Look Like an Olsen Sister
“Pop stars probably don’t promote healthy foods because industries that sell fruits and vegetables can’t afford to hire celebrities,” Marie A. Bragg, PhD, an assistant professor in the Section on Health Choice, Policy and Evaluation at NYU Langone, tells Yahoo Beauty. “However, Partnership for Healthier America recently teamed up with some celebrities — mostly professional athletes — to promote fruits and vegetables through an advertising campaign called FNV.” (A few of their partners include Avocados From Mexico, Farm Fresh, and Green City Growers.)
Dr. Bragg adds that FNV is doing its best to create fun, edgy ads with popular celebrities that will appeal to the younger crowd. “Unfortunately, FNV’s presence is tiny compared to companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, who collectively have over $5 billion in their annual marketing budgets, so it’s unclear how FNV might compete with these larger brands.”
As for how influencers can reach kids and teens about healthy eating and living in order to help combat childhood obesity, Dr. Bragg applauds NBA star Stephen Curry’s decision to endorse Brita water filters.
“His commercial seems to directly ‘talk’ to consumers about the importance of drinking water, especially when he says something like, ‘You are what you drink, so make it healthy,’” she states. “Brita’s press release mentions our athlete endorsement study from 2013 as context for why Stephen’s partnership with them matters. As the NBA MVP, he is sending an incredible message to young people about the importance of drinking water.”
Read This Next: Watch Britney Spears Do 30 Push-Ups —And Make It Look Easy
Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
