WSJ.com/Harris Interactive Survey Finds that Most Adults Believe Parents, Schools and Food Industry Can Make Difference in Battling Childhood Obesity

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the National Center for Health Statistics, sixteen percent of children and adolescents in the United States were overweight as of 2002, and the prevalence of childhood obesity has been rising steadily over the past two decades1. Most U.S. adults and parents with children under the age of twelve worry about childhood obesity, with more than eight in ten (84%) U.S. adults believing it is "a major problem" and 78 percent of parents saying the same.

A large majority of both groups believes that parents, above a wide variety of other groups, can have the greatest impact in reducing childhood obesity; majorities of U.S. adults (83%) and parents (85%) both say that parents have the greatest impact. However, many adults also feel that schools, government and the food industry have a role to play.

These are some of the results of an online survey of 2,503 U.S. adults, ages 18 and older, of whom 573 are parents or guardians of children age 12 or younger, conducted by Harris Interactive between August 6 and 8, 2007 for The Wall Street Journal Online's Health Industry Edition (www.wsj.com/health).

Compared to one year ago, adults are more likely to consider advertising directed to children as a major contributor to the rising rate of childhood obesity (78% vs. 65%). They are also increasingly likely to believe that government should play a more active role in regulating the types of marketing and advertising that the food industry directs toward children (60% vs. 53%) and that public schools should do more to limit children's access to unhealthy foods (88% vs. 83%). A large majority (94%) also believes that public schools should do more to promote regular exercise.

Some of the nation's largest food and drinks companies recently announced that they will make a number of changes in their marketing practices to children and these initiatives are favored by most adults and parents with children under the age of twelve. Most adults and parents favor implementing the use of child-friendly characters to promote healthier foods (91% of adults, 92% of parents), limiting advertising to healthier foods (73%, 75%), and restricting the use of popular characters from television shows and movies (64%, 63%). Far fewer (43%, 45%), by comparison, favor prohibiting advertising to children under the age of twelve.

Katherine Binns, Division President for Healthcare Research at Harris Interactive, comments, "The public believes that many players can make a difference in battling the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. In the end, these findings suggest that by taking steps to address the public's rising concerns, the food industry will be able to dampen public demand for increased regulation and oversight of its marketing practices."

TABLE 1

PUBLIC CONCERNS REGARDING CHILDHOOD OBESITY

"Based on what you know or have heard, do you believe that childhood obesity in the U.S. is…?"

Base: All adults

 
        All Adults   Parent or Guardian of Child 12 and Under
    %   %
A major problem
2005   77   70

2006   84   74
  2007   84   78
A minor problem
2005   21   27

2006   15   21
  2007   15   19
Not a problem at all
2005   2   3

2006   2   4
  2007   1   3

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 2

WHO COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN REDUCING CHILDHOOD OBESITY?

"If you had to choose just two, which ones do you believe could have the greatest impact on reducing childhood obesity in this country?"

Base: All adults

 
    Total   Parents/ Guardians of Children Age 12 or Younger
  %   %
Parents   83   85
Schools   28   26
Food and drinks companies   27   27
Family members (other than parents)   13   15
The media   12   11
Physicians and other healthcare providers   7   9
The entertainment industry   7   7
Children's friends   7   4
Healthcare professionals   5   5
Government   2   2
Local communities   2   1
Public health agencies   1   1
Health insurers or managed care plans   1   1
Some other group   1   1

Note: Multiple-response question.

TABLE 3A

PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS REGARDING CHILDHOOD OBESITY

"How strongly do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?"

Base: All Adults

 
   

All Adults

  Parent or Guardian of Child 12 and Under

Agree Strongly/ Somewhat

  Disagree

Strongly/ Somewhat

  Not

Sure

  Agree Strongly/ Somewhat   Disagree Strongly/ Somewhat   Not

Sure

 

%

  %   %   %   %  

%

Advertising by the food industry that is directed towards children is a major contributor to the rising rate of childhood obesity.   2005   68   27   5   69   24   7

2006   65   31   4   67   29   4
  2007   78   18   3   76   19   5

If children in the U.S. are becoming obese it's because parents are not paying enough attention to their eating habits, not because of the food industry's marketing and advertising.


2005   83   14   4   86   10   4

2006   81   14   5   82   12   5
  2007   83   15   2   81   16   3
The government should play a more active role in regulating the types of marketing and advertising that the food industry directs toward children.
2005   55   41   4   55   38   7

2006   53   42   5   56   39   5
  2007   60   36   4   60   36   4

Public schools should do more to limit children's access to unhealthy foods like snack foods, sugary soft drinks and fast food.


2005   83   14   3   84   12   5

2006   83   13   4   83   14   3
  2007   88   10   2   88   9   3
Public schools should do more to promote regular exercise, including regular recess.
2005   -   -   -   -   -   -

2006   93   3   5   93   2   5
  2007   94   3   3   94   3   3
If parents set limits on their children's use of computers, television and video games, their children will become more physically active.   2007   89   8   4   90   8   2

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

"-" Not applicable

TABLE 3B

PERCEPTIONS REGARDING CHILDHOOD OBESITY --

PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF CHILD AGE 12 AND UNDER

"How strongly do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?"

Base: Parent or Guardian of Child Age 12 and Under (n=573)

 
   

Agree
Strongly/
Somewhat
(Net)

 

 

Agree
Strongly

 

Agree
Somewhat

 

Disagree
Strongly/
Somewhat
(Net)

 

 

Disagree
Somewhat

 

Disagree
Strongly

 

 

Not
Sure

 

  %   %   %   %   %   %   %
Advertising by the food industry that is directed towards children is a major contributor to the rising rate of childhood obesity.   76   36   40   19   14   6   5

If children in the U.S. are becoming obese it's because parents are not paying enough attention to their eating habits, not because of the food industry's marketing and advertising.

  81   44   38   16   12   4   3
The government should play a more active role in regulating the types of marketing and advertising that the food industry directs toward children.   60   30   30   36   20   16   4
Public schools should do more to limit children's access to unhealthy foods like snack foods, sugary soft drinks and fast food.   88   57   31   9   5   4   3
Public schools should do more to promote regular exercise, including regular recess.   94   71   23   3   2   1   3
If parents set limits on their children's use of computers, television and video games, their children will become more physically active.   90   62   28   8   6   2   2

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 3C

PERCEPTIONS REGARDING CHILDHOOD OBESITY --

ALL ADULTS

"How strongly do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?"

Base: All Adults

 
   

Agree
Strongly/
Somewhat
(Net)

 

 

Agree
Strongly

 

Agree
Somewhat

 

Disagree
Strongly/
Somewhat
(Net)

 

 

Disagree
Somewhat

 

Disagree
Strongly

 

 

Not
Sure

 

  %   %   %   %   %   %   %
Advertising by the food industry that is directed towards children is a major contributor to the rising rate of childhood obesity.   78