Food Packaged with Toys: an Investigation on Potential Obesogenic Effects in Indian Children

Overview

Journal Indian J Pediatr

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2014 Jun 12

PMID 24916132

Citations 4

Authors

Dario Gregori

Achal Gulati

Alexander Hochdorn

Simonetta Ballali

Haralappa Paramesh

Malathi Kumar

Ileana Baldi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate, in a large pan Indian sample of school children, whether gadgets (toys) added to food increase food consumption, and if contemporary exposure to TV and/or advertising is a further promoting factor.

Methods: A total of 1,680 Indian children were first randomized to food exposure with or without toy and then to a five-level exposure to TV viewing and advertising according to a 2 × 5 full factorial ad libitum eating design study. The sample size was computed to detect a difference of 20 Kcal of caloric intake (assuming the same standard deviation of 20 Kcal in both groups) between "food with gadget" (Toy) and "food alone" (No Toy) groups in each level of the exposure to TV and advertising factor, given an alpha error equal to 0.05 and a power of 0.90.

Results: Mean caloric intake both in "Toy" and "No Toy" group was around 223 Kcal. When considering exposure to TV and advertising, mean values varied negligibly between 222 and 225 Kcal. According to linear models for the effect of gadget and exposure to TV and/or advertising on children's intake, no significant adjusted associations were found, neither as main effects nor as interactions.

Conclusions: Food consumption by children is not influenced by the presence of added toys, even after adjustment for several potential confounding factors. The city where they live and age significantly influences Indian children's caloric intake.

Citing Articles

Watching Television While Eating Increases Food Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies.

Garg D, Smith E, Attuquayefio T Nutrients. 2025; 17(1.

PMID: 39796600 PMC: 11722569. DOI: 10.3390/nu17010166.

Food Marketing Influences Children's Attitudes, Preferences and Consumption: A Systematic Critical Review.

Smith R, Kelly B, Yeatman H, Boyland E Nutrients. 2019; 11(4).

PMID: 31003489 PMC: 6520952. DOI: 10.3390/nu11040875.

Cross-regional analysis of multiple factors associated with childhood obesity in India: a national or local challenge?.

Gregori D, Gulati A, Paramesh E, Arockiacath P, Comoretto R, Paramesh H Indian J Pediatr. 2014; 81 Suppl 1:5-16.

PMID: 25139390 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-014-1550-0.

Physical activity patterns among school children in India.

Gulati A, Hochdorn A, Paramesh H, Paramesh E, Chiffi D, Kumar M Indian J Pediatr. 2014; 81 Suppl 1:47-54.

PMID: 24944142 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-014-1472-x.

Is my kid out of size? Indian mothers' desirability bias in evaluation of their children's weight.

Hochdorn A, Baldi I, Paramesh E, Kumar M, Gulati A, Gregori D Indian J Pediatr. 2014; 81 Suppl 1:39-46.

PMID: 24916133 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-014-1464-x.

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