Abstract:
The main objective of the study is to seek the relationship between food demand and
television advertising focusing on children in Sri Lanka. The study used primary data
with 100 children in-between the age of 9-14 representing Sangamiththa Girls School
and Olsent boys‟ school in Galle. Four stage sampling method was used by the study.
In the first stage stratified cluster sampling was used to select two schools from five
main girls‟ schools and five main boys‟ schools in Galle randomly by using lotteries
method. In the second stage stratified random sample was selected representing the
students in the classes from year 4 to year 9 cluster representing 25% of each class in
both schools. At the final step systematic random sampling was used to select students
with the gap of 4 students. Two questionnaires were provided for students and their
parents to collect data. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression model were used
for the analyzing. The dependent variables were used as expenditure on additional food
items while using different socio economic demographic characteristics of children and
their parents as explanatory variables.
The Study found that a positive relationship of television advertising on food demand.
Residential sector, gender of the child, age , employment of parents, length of time of
watching television, influence of friends, the mode of traveling to school , specific
brand choices, using popular persons for the advertisements, giving attractive items
with the product, giving sponsorships for children‟ events are identified as some
significant factors determining the food demand of the children. Some possible policy
implications suggested for the family, schools, advertising agencies, media and for the
government, have been initiated as the final contribution of the study.
