Good for business, bad for children: Food brands use AI to target kids and teens with digital marketing
The article reports on a study published in the journal Appetite, which analyzed marketing industry case studies. The research suggests that food and beverage companies are utilizing AI and sophisticated digital targeting to market unhealthy products to children and adolescents.
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Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-good-business-bad-children-food.html
analyticsAnalysis
30%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 90%
Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.
psychologyDetected Techniques
warning
Loaded Language
90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole
70% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
fact_checkFact-Check Results
5 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.
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Single Source
3
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Corroborated
2
“A new study led by nutritionist Christine Driessen (RPHNutr.) has found... children and adolescents are being targeted by the very latest in sophisticated marketing techniques for unhealthy foods and drinks.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm the existence of a study by Christine Driessen regarding the digital marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages and its detrimental impact on children's eating behaviors.
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NEUTRAL
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“The new study is published in the journal Appetite, with co-authors from Deakin University, Monash University and the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the study's existence is confirmed, the specific details regarding the journal 'Appetite' and the specific co-authoring universities (Deakin, Monash, London School of Tropical Medicine) are not explicitly detailed in the provided evidence snippets, although Monash University appears in a general search result.
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— study published in September 2020 in the journal JAMA Network Open.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle…
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle…
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— Study at Monash, one of Australia's most prestigious universities.Monash University. blue patterns. Dr Akari in Afghanistan. THE Reputation Rankings 2022.
https://www.monash.edu/
https://www.monash.edu/
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— “Fast-food consumption by children and teens has increased over the past decade, and fast-food advertising definitely plays a role in that rise,” says Jennifer Harris, Senior Research Advisor for Mark…
https://today.uconn.edu/2021/06/rudd-center-new-study-finds-…
https://today.uconn.edu/2021/06/rudd-center-new-study-finds-…
“The researchers assessed 111 marketing industry "best in practice" case studies via the World Advertising Research Center, including marketing campaigns from Australia, India, China, Europe and U.S.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of general links to ResearchGate, YouTube, and a different journal (ujar20), none of which mention the 111 case studies from the World Advertising Research Center.
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— Access 160+ million publication pages and connect with 25+ million researchers. Join for free and gain visibility by uploading your research.
https://www.researchgate.net/
https://www.researchgate.net/
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— Every so often, product marketing creates such a frenzy it becomes its own cultural moment - think Adidas Stan Smiths, Old Spice and Pokémon Go. The Stanley ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb9IF7wBnus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb9IF7wBnus
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— This study advances research in this emerging area by analyzing the global...
https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/ujar20
https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/ujar20
“Brands were typically owned by multinational companies, and included soft drink, chocolate, savory snack and milk drink products.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence consists of general definitions of marketing from the American Marketing Association and does not mention the specific brands or product types analyzed in the study.
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— Definition of Marketing Research Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information—information used to identify and define opportunit…
https://www.ama.org/the-definition-of-marketing-what-is-mark…
https://www.ama.org/the-definition-of-marketing-what-is-mark…
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— Marketing Strategy What is a marketing strategy? A marketing strategy refers to an organization or person’s plan of action created to sell or advertise a product or service. It is fundamental to the o…
https://www.ama.org/topics/marketing-strategy/
https://www.ama.org/topics/marketing-strategy/
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— Course Overview Marketing is vital to the success of an organization in today’s competitive world. This course introduces marketing, the marketing mix (the Four Ps), the strategic importance of market…
https://www.ama.org/on-demand/an-overview-of-marketing/
https://www.ama.org/on-demand/an-overview-of-marketing/
“Christine Driessen et al, Contemporary digital marketing techniques used in unhealthy food campaigns targeting young people, Appetite (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2025.107989”
CORROBORATED
Three separate web search results confirm the title 'Contemporary digital marketing techniques used in unhealthy food campaigns targeting young people' and the lead author Christine Driessen.
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— Christine Driessen.The digital marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages has a detrimental impact on children’s eating behaviours, leading to adverse diet-related health outcomes.
https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4676194/1/Dries…
https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4676194/1/Dries…
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— The digital marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages has a detrimental impact on children's eating behaviours, leading to adverse diet-related health outcomes. To inform the developmen…
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40185242/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40185242/
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— The digital marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages has a detrimental impact on children's eating behaviours, leading to adverse diet-related health outcomes. To inform the developmen…
https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/contemporary-dig…
https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/contemporary-dig…
info
Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.