Box office hits including Disney films, Harry Potter series and James Bond are awash with junk food that would fail UK advertising rules, scientists say
- US researchers looked at the US 250 top-grossing films between 1994 and 2018
- 73 per cent are unhealthy enough to fail UK food advertising standards in the UK
- An acceptance of fast food is down to its prevalence in popular culture like films
Disney, Marvel and James Bond films are among the box office successes featuring junk food that would fail UK advertising rules, scientists say.
US researchers looked at the 250 top-grossing films in the US between 1994 and 2018, which also included Harry Potter, Avatar, Toy Story and adult films such as Pulp Fiction and The Matrix.
They found that 73 per cent of the films would be unhealthy enough to fail legal healthy advertising standards in the UK for food and 90 per cent would fail for beverages.
This was based on the Nutrient Profile Index developed by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) – a tool to help differentiate foods and improve the balance of TV advertising to children.
Nearly every movie featured at least one food scene and one beverage scene, racking up a total of 9,198 foods and 5,748 drinks.
Across 9,198 foods, snacks and sweets, including baked goods, sweets and processed salty snacks, were the most common items to feature on screen, starring in 2,173 or 23.6 per cent of food scenes.
In the drinks category, 2,303 out of 5,748 (40.1 per cent) were alcoholic – the most commonly depicted beverage.
Researchers say the acceptance of fast food is down to its prevalence in western culture, including films. Pictured, the famous burger scene from Pulp Fiction (1994) directed by Quentin Tarantino
Even among the G-rated movies – the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) lowest classification for general audiences with no age restrictions – 20 per cent of beverages were alcoholic.
‘This study suggests that popular US movies depict an unhealthy diet that fails national dietary recommendations, akin to US individuals’ actual diets,’ said study author Dr Bradley Turnwald at Stanford University in California.
‘Depicting unhealthy consumption in media is a sociocultural problem that extends beyond advertisements and branded product placements.’
For their new study, researchers paused, rewatched and slowed down movie scenes such as car chases, fight scenes and flashbacks as much as possible to identify the food and drink that featured and well as whether they were branded.
Only 12 per cent of foods and beverages were visibly branded, they found, which suggests getting fast food into film scenes is not just about big companies paying for product placement.
Instead, it reflects a broader social acceptance of unhealthy foods, such as burgers, chips, sugary snacks and alcohol.
A scene from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, where Ron and Harry eat fictional sweets
Popular US movies depict an unhealthy diet, with the majority showing unhealthy foods and drinks, according to the US research
Whether it’s James Bond clutching a vodka martini or on-screen heroes eating burgers at a diner in a Quentin Tarantino film, it’s part of Hollywood’s culture, the experts suggest.
‘Movies portray the types of foods and beverages that are normative, valued and reflective of our culture, so the foods and beverages that the film industry decides to depict matter,’ said Dr Turnwald.
‘Audiences look up to famous celebrities, superheroes and role models, and we’re watching what they’re eating and drinking on screen.’
However, given their influence on society and popular culture, films are a high-impact opportunity to promote healthy eating.
This is only ‘if move producers expand the range of foods and beverages depicted … as representative of US culture,’ the authors say in the paper, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
The researchers found that healthier foods did make appearances, albeit less frequently – fruit appeared in at 23 per cent of the films, vegetables in 14 per cent, protein such as fish at around 10 per cent and grains at 9 per cent.
To determine just how unhealthy the on-screen foods actually are, researchers looked to the UK, which is restricting the types of food and beverages advertised to youth.
Advertising unhealthy foods and beverages is restricted in the UK if 25 per cent or more of an audience includes youth under age 16, as per FSA guidelines.
Researchers compared the nutritional quality of foods and beverages depicted in the 250 top-grossing movies with dietary recommendations from FSA.
They used the same nutrition rating system – the Nutrient Profile Model – as the FSA.
Pictured, Daniel Craig as James Bond gulping down beer in the 2012 film Skyfall. Alcoholic drinks were frequnely observed in the researchers’ sample
Overall, movies failed recommended levels of saturated fat per 2t,000 calories by 25 per cent, sodium per 2,000 calories by almost 4 per cent and fibre per 2,000 calories by 45 per cent.
One calorie is the amount of heat needed to cause the same increase in one kilogram of water.
Films also depicted higher total sugar content and more than 300 per cent higher alcohol content per 2,000 calories than US individuals consume.
Neither food or beverage nutrition scores improved over time or among movies targeting youngsters.
Movies show food and drink with nutritional quality that is unknown, unregulated and under appreciated as a source of dietary influence.
‘Movies, as cultural products, may reflect norms regarding which foods and beverages are valued and representative of a culture,’ the team say in their paper
‘Beyond mere reflection, however, movies may actively influence viewers’ health behaviours.
If movies influence viewers’ health behaviours, then it is important to know the nutritional quality of the foods and beverages that they depict.’
FILMS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY SAMPLE
The Lion King 1994
The Flintstones 1994
Dumb and Dumber 1994
Clear and Present Danger 1994
The Santa Clause 1994
True Lies 1994
Pulp Fiction 1994
Forrest Gump 1994
The Mask 1994
Speed 1994
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls 1995
GoldenEye 1995
Pocahontas 1995
Die Hard: With a Vengeance 1995
Apollo 13 1995
Jumanji 1995
Casper 1995
Toy Story 1995
Batman Forever 1995
Seven 1995
Mission: Impossible 1996
The Rock 1996
Independence Day 1996
A Time to Kill 1996
Jerry Maguire 1996
Twister 1996
The Birdcage 1996
The Nutty Professor 1996
101 Dalmatians 1996
Ransom 1996
Star Wars (Special Edition) 1997
Tomorrow Never Dies 1997
My Best Friend’s Wedding 1997
Titanic 1997
Good Will Hunting 1997
Liar Liar 1997
As Good As It Gets 1997
Air Force One 1997
Men in Black 1997
The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997
Armageddon 1998
The Waterboy 1998
Saving Private Ryan 1998
Patch Adams 1998
Rush Hour 1998
There’s Something About Mary 1998
Deep Impact 1998
Godzilla 1998
Doctor Dolittle 1998
A Bug’s Life 1998
Tarzan 1999
The Mummy 1999
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 1999
The Sixth Sense 1999
The Blair Witch Project 1999
Toy Story 2 1999
Runaway Bride 1999
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me 1999
The Matrix 1999
Big Daddy 1999
Mission: Impossible II 2000
Gladiator 2000
How the Grinch Stole Christmas 2000
What Women Want 2000
The Perfect Storm 2000
Meet the Parents 2000
X-Men 2000
Scary Movie 2000
Cast Away 2000
What Lies Beneath 2000
Monsters Inc. 2001
Ocean’s Eleven 2001
Pearl Harbor 2001
Planet of the Apes (2001) 2001
Rush Hour 2 2001
Shrek 2001
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 2001
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001
Jurassic Park III 2001
The Mummy Returns 2001
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones 2002
Signs 2002
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 2002
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2002
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 2002
Spider-Man 2002
Men in Black II 2002
Chicago 2002
Austin Powers in Goldmember 2002
Ice Age 2002
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 2003
X2: X-Men United 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2003
Cheaper by the Dozen 2003
The Matrix Reloaded 2003
Bruce Almighty 2003
Elf 2003
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 2003
The Matrix Revolutions 2003
Finding Nemo 2003
The Passion of the Christ 2004
The Bourne Supremacy 2004
National Treasure 2004
Shrek 2 2004
Spider-Man 2 2004
Meet the Fockers 2004
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004
The Incredibles 2004
The Polar Express 2004
The Day After Tomorrow 2004
King Kong 2005
Batman Begins 2005
Mr and Mrs Smith 2005
War of the Worlds 2005
Madagascar 2005
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 2005
Wedding Crashers 2005
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe 2005
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2005
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith 2005
Cars 2006
Night at the Museum 2006
X-Men: The Last Stand 2006
Ice Age: The Meltdown 2006
The Da Vinci Code 2006
Casino Royale 2006
Superman Returns 2006
The Pursuit of Happyness 2006
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest 2006
Happy Feet 2006
300 2007
Transformers 2007
I Am Legend 2007
Shrek the Third 2007
Spider-Man 3 2007
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End 2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 2007
The Bourne Ultimatum 2007
Alvin and the Chipmunks 2007
National Treasure: Book of Secrets 2007
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 2008
The Dark Knight 2008
Kung Fu Panda 2008
Quantum of Solace 2008
Iron Man 2008
Twilight 2008
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008
WALL-E 2008
Dr Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! 2008
Hancock 2008
The Blind Side 2009
Avatar 2009
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 2009
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel 2009
The Twilight Saga: New Moon 2009
Sherlock Holmes 2009
Star Trek 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 2009
The Hangover 2009
Up 2009
How to Train Your Dragon 2010
Inception 2010
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse 2010
Shrek Forever After 2010
Alice in Wonderland 2010
Tangled 2010
Despicable Me 2010
Harry Potter and the Dealthly Hallows Part I 2010
Iron Man 2 2010
Toy Story 3 2010
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol 2011
Transformers: Dark of the Moon 2011
Fast Five 2011
Thor 2011
The Hangover Part II 2011
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 2011
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 2011
Cars 2 2011
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 2011
Brave 2012
Skyfall 2012
The Dark Knight Rises 2012
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2012
The Hunger Games 2012
Marvel’s the Avengers 2012
Ted 2012
The Amazing Spider-Man 2012
Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted 2012
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II 2012
Iron Man 3 2013
Man of Steel 2013
Frozen 2013
Monsters University 2013
Oz The Great and Powerful 2013
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 2013
Despicable Me 2 2013
Fast & Furious 6 2013
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 2013
Gravity 2013
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I 2014
Big Hero 6 2014
American Sniper 2014
Transformers: Age of Extinction 2014
Maleficent 2014
X-Men: Days of Future Past 2014
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 2014
Captain America: The Winter Soldier 2014
The LEGO Movie 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy 2014
Spectre 2015
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2015
Furious 7 2015
Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015
The Martian 2015
Minions 2015
Inside Out 2015
Cinderella (2015) 2015
Jurassic World 2015
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II 2015
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016
Deadpool 2016
Captain America: Civil War 2016
The Secret Life of Pets 2016
Zootopia 2016
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 2016
The Jungle Book (2016) 2016
Sing 2016
Suicide Squad 2016
Finding Dory 2016
Thor: Ragnarok 2017
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 2017
Justice League 2017
Wonder Woman 2017
Beauty and the Beast (2017) 2017
It 2017
Despicable Me 3 2017
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2017
Star Wars: The Last Jedi 2017
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle 2017
Mission: Impossible – Fallout 2018
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 2018
Aquaman 2018
Black Panther 2018
Bohemian Rhapsody 2018
Dr Seuss’ The Grinch (2018) 2018
Deadpool 2 2018
Incredibles 2 2018
Avengers: Infinity War 2018
Ant-Man and the Wasp 2018
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