Paola Letona|Violeta Chacón|Christina A. Roberto|Joaquín Barnoya
Effects of licensed characters on children’s taste and snack preferences in Guatemala, a low/middle income country
Unidad de Cirugía Cardiovascular de Guatemala|Unidad de Cirugía Cardiovascular de Guatemala|Harvard University|Unidad de Cirugía Cardiovascular de Guatemala
marketing highenergy lownutrient foods one contributing factors obesitypromoting environment licensed characters typically used market foods children increase brand recognition sales data suggest affect taste snack preferences children highincome countries yet explored lowmiddle income countries lmics sought examine licensed characters food packaging influence childrens taste snack preferences guatemala lmicone hundred twentyone children mean sd age 74 19 years four two preschool two elementary public schools guatemala tasted three food types potato chips crackers carrots presented two identical packages except one licensed character children tasted foods six total package answered whether tasted one tasted better snack preference also evaluatedchildren significantly p0001 likely prefer taste foods inside package licensed character compared one character mean sd 024 054 66 chose food package character snack younger children p 0001 likely prefer taste food inside package characterlicensed characters food packaging influence guatemalan childrens taste snack preferences given characters typically used promote highenergy lownutrient foods influence could contribute toward overconsumption foods consequently increased risk obesity guatemalan children therefore public health advocates guatemala elsewhere might explore restricting use licensed characters food packaging public health strategy