Marketing Influences Young Children’s Tastes

Young children preferred the taste of foods and drinks when they were presented in McDonald’s packaging to the same in plain packaging.

Extensive marketing of “junk” food is thought to be an important cause of the obesity epidemic among children. Young children readily recognize various products and their logos, but does recognition influence their food preferences?

Sixty-three children aged 3 to 5 years from low-income families participated in a paired food-tasting experiment. Each child tasted five identical foods and drinks that were presented either in McDonald’s packaging with logos or in similarly shaped plain packaging. A research assistant pointed out the McDonald’s product to children who did not recognize the McDonald’s packaging (fewer than one third of participants). For each pair of foods or drinks, the assistant said: “Tell me if they taste the same, or point t…

Reviewing Author

Robert A. Dershewitz, MD, MSc