--- title: "Outdoor advertising, obesity, and soda consumption: a cross-sectional | Sutter Health" description: "Advertising in periodicals & television has been linked to obesity. However, links between outdoor advertising & obesity are unknown." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/outdoor-advertising-obesity-and-soda-consumption-1055312547" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Outdoor advertising, obesity, and soda consumption: a cross-sectional # Outdoor advertising, obesity, and soda consumption: a cross-sectional study Lesser LI, Zimmerman FJ, & Cohen DA _BMC Public Health 13:20. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-20._ 2013-01-10 ## Abstract #### BACKGROUND: Recent research has shown that neighborhood characteristics are associated with obesity prevalence. While food advertising in periodicals and television has been linked to overweight and obesity , it is unknown whether outdoor advertising is related to obesity . #### METHODS: To test the association between outdoor food advertising and obesity , we analyzed telephone survey data on adults, aged 18-98, collected from 220 census tracts in Los Angeles and Louisiana. We linked self-reported information on BMI and soda consumption with a database of directly observed outdoor advertisements. #### RESULTS: The higher the percentage of outdoor advertisements promoting food or non-alcoholic beverages within a census tract, the greater the odds of obesity among its residents, controlling for age, race and educational status. For every 10% increase in food advertising , there was a 1.05 (95% CI 1.003 - 1.093, p<0.03) greater odds of being overweight or obese, controlling for other factors. Given these predictions, compared to an individual living in an area with no food ads, those living in areas in which 30% of ads were for food would have a 2.6% increase in the probability of being obese. #### CONCLUSIONS: There is a relationship between the percentage of outdoor food advertising and overweight/ obesity . [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Outdoor+advertising%2C+obesity%2C+and+soda+consumption) ## Research topics - [Food and Nutrition](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Food+and+Nutrition%5C%22%22) - [Obesity](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Obesity%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Differing views regarding diet and physical activity: adolescents versus parents' perspectives.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/diet-and-exercise-obese-teens-and-parent-views-1055312773) Azar KMJ, Halley M, Lv N, Wulfovich S, Gillespie K, Liang L, Goldman Rosas L. BMC Pediatr. 20(1):137. doi: 10.1186/s12887-020-02038-4. 2020 Mar 27 - Publication ### [Mobile applications for weight management: theory-based content analysis.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/theory-based-content-analysis-of-apps-for-wt-mgmt-1055312668) Azar KM, Lesser LI, Laing BY, Stephens J, Aurora MS, Burke LE, Palaniappan LP. Am J Prev Med. 45(5):583-9. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.07.005. 2013 Nov 01 - Publication ### [An assessment of food offerings and marketing strategies in the food-service venues at California children's hospitals](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/food-offerings-and-marketing-in-ca-hospitals-1055312567) Lesser LI, Hunnes DE, Reyes P, Arab L, Ryan GW, Brook RH, Cohen DA. Acad Pediatr. 12(1):62-7. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2011.09.004. Epub 2011 Nov 30. 2011 Nov 30 - Publication ### [Alternatives to monetary incentives for employee weight loss.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/non-monetary-incentives-for-employee-wt-loss-1055312646) Lesser LI, Puhl RM. Am J Prev Med. 46(4):429-31. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.11.017. 2014 Apr 01 - Publication ### [Obesity prevention at the point of purchase.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-prevention-at-point-of-purchase-1055312473) Cohen DA, Lesser LI. Obes Rev. doi: 10.1111/obr.12387. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Feb 22 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/outdoor-advertising-obesity-and-soda-consumption-1055312547#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Outdoor advertising, obesity, and soda consumption: a cross-sectional"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/outdoor-advertising-obesity-and-soda-consumption-1055312547#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Outdoor advertising, obesity, and soda consumption: a cross-sectional study","headline":"Outdoor advertising, obesity, and soda consumption: a cross-sectional","abstract":"BACKGROUND: Recent research has shown that neighborhood characteristics are associated with obesity prevalence. While food advertising in periodicals and television has been linked to overweight and obesity, it is unknown whether outdooradvertising is related to obesity. METHODS: To test the association between outdoor food advertising and obesity, we analyzed telephone survey data on adults, aged 18-98, collected from 220 census tracts in Los Angeles and Louisiana. We linked self-reported information on BMI and sodaconsumption with a database of directly observed outdoor advertisements. RESULTS: The higher the percentage of outdoor advertisements promoting food or non-alcoholic beverages within a census tract, the greater the odds of obesity among its residents, controlling for age, race and educational status. For every 10% increase in food advertising, there was a 1.05 (95% CI 1.003 - 1.093, p\u003c0.03) greater odds of being overweight or obese, controlling for other factors. Given these predictions, compared to an individual living in an area with no food ads, those living in areas in which 30% of ads were for food would have a 2.6% increase in the probability of being obese. CONCLUSIONS: There is a relationship between the percentage of outdoor food advertising and overweight/obesity.","description":"Advertising in periodicals & television has been linked to obesity. 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