Digital Food and Beverage Marketing Environments in a National Sample of Middle Schools: Implications for Policy and Practice

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND One promising approach to influence nutrition behavior is to limit food and beverage marketing to children. Children are a lucrative market and schools may be an effective setting in which to intervene. Studies have shown that marketing in schools is prevalent but little is known about digital marketing (DM) to students in the school setting. METHODS We used an online survey to assess DM environments in a national sample of middle schools. RESULTS Our findings demonstrate that students are exposed to marketing through school devices. Gaps in school district, school and classroom policy and practice lead to student exposure to food and beverage marketing. CONCLUSIONS Our data point to actionable policy and practice change at the school district, individual school, and classroom levels that could help limit unwanted and harmful food and beverage marketing to youth.