The influence of television on the eating habits of brazilian northeast children

Abstract

Objectives: the aim is to assess caregivers' perceptions about the influence of television on the eating habits of children from the socially vulnerable Northeast region of Brazil. Methods: a total of 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers. The participants included parents and grandmothers of 29 schoolchildren from a public school on the outskirts of a town in the Agreste Meridional in Northeast Brazil. The interviews were transcribed and analysed in the light of socio-historical theory based on the work of Vygotsky (1984) and Bakhtin (2001). Results: the caregivers explained the influence of televised food advertisements on children,s requests for food and the criteria children use to choose foods. The caregivers also observed that the family,s buying decisions were governed by the children,s requests, which are driven by television advertisements. Furthermore, the children,s food preferences (i.e., the structure and rhythm of children,s meals) have changed because of the influence of the media. Conclusions: although caregivers are able to describe the influence of television on the eating habits of children, the magnitude of this influence on children,s lives is still unclear. Understanding the magnitude of the this influence is the challenge posed by this study to professionals, experts in the field, and the Brazilian health system.