Abstract

Childhood obesity remains a growing public health challenge in the United States and globally, with food 
marketing identified as a significant environmental driver of unhealthy dietary patterns among children. This 
narrative review synthesizes evidence on the mechanisms through which food marketing across television, digital 
media, in-store environments, and school settings shapes children’s food preferences, consumption behaviors, and 
long-term risk of obesity. The analysis draws upon interdisciplinary research from public health, psychology, 
marketing, and economics to examine how marketing captures attention, alters risk perception, increases brand 
salience, and promotes energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Evidence consistently demonstrates that children are 
highly susceptible to marketing due to developmental limitations, limited advertising literacy, and heightened 
responsiveness to animated, personalized, and emotionally appealing content. Digital and algorithmically targeted 
marketing has intensified exposure, presenting new challenges for regulation and surveillance. Studies of policy 
interventions, including school-based restrictions, television advertising bans, and digital marketing regulations, 
show mixed but generally positive effects on reducing exposure, caloric intake, and obesity-related outcomes. 
However, industry resistance, voluntary codes with limited enforcement, and shifts toward unregulated platforms 
continue to undermine progress. Methodological gaps persist, particularly concerning causal pathways, 
socioeconomic disparities, and long-term behavioral effects. Overall, this review emphasizes that effective obesity 
prevention requires comprehensive policy action, ethically grounded regulation, and sustained research to 
counteract pervasive commercial influences that shape children’s food environments.