This review introduces the construct of deceptively unhealthy foods and identifies the ways that these unhealthy foods are marketed to parents and children. Deceptively unhealthy foods are foods that are high in sugar or high in fat while low in nutrient content, but which are marketed as being healthy. They are commonly marketed using these tactics (1) specific nutrient labels, (2) deceptive terms, (3) general health reputation, and (4) package design. This paper reviews the small but growing literature on this topic, highlights four tactics used to deceive health-conscious parents, and provides suggestions for how changes in marketing may help reduce the consumption of such foods.
Keywords: advertising; diet; food; nutrition; obesity; parents; public health psychology.