– I usually get it up on Instagram. People post that you should try this and that protein powder, says Haakon Kon Kølbel (13). He sits with two friends at Wang Ung secondary school in Fredrikstad. All three say that they regularly see advertisements for nutritional supplements. – I get it every now and then, from large muscle bundles that show how to get muscles. I try to scroll it away, but it comes up weekly, says Sander Johansen (13). – A big problem In the Danish Media Authority’s survey “Children and media 2022”, over half of children and young people aged 13 to 18 answer the same. They have received online advertising for products that are supposed to give bigger muscles. – It is a big problem when such a large proportion of children and young people receive this type of advertising, says director of the Norwegian Media Authority, Mari Velsand. She believes this can contribute to increased body pressure. – We know from several surveys that advertising affects young people’s body image in a negative direction. The Norwegian Media Authority’s director Mari Velsand thinks the answers to the survey are problematic. Photo: Mathias Fossum / Norwegian Media Authority Landed in the feed of 13-year-old news has shown in the last week how young boys can be drawn into a world of big muscles and extreme training on social media in a short time. We created a fictional TikTok user: a 13-year-old boy who wanted bigger muscles. Within hours, 90 percent of his feed was filled with videos about muscles and extreme exercise. Some of the content was also advertising for dietary supplements, such as protein powder and creatine. One of Norway’s largest retailers of dietary supplements, Proteinfabrikken, is clear that they do not direct advertising towards children and young people. – Children are not a customer group that buys creatine and “pre-workout” online, says brand manager Egil Berli-Johnsen. – I don’t think a single Norwegian company in the fitness industry targets advertising at children on purpose. He is still not surprised that children and young people say they get advertisements for nutritional supplements. And Berli-Johnsen himself appeared in the feed of news’s fictitious 13-year-old, in a video from a podcast where he talks about what creatine is. An excerpt from the podcast Gympodden appeared in the feed of news’s TikTok robot. Graphic: Screenshot TikTok – Difficult to control He finds it frightening how quickly TikTok finds out what people are interested in. Still, he is not worried that the video he made will appear on a young person. – Although creatine is ineffective and a waste of money for a 13-year-old, it takes a lot to get on an unhealthy path in life by watching a video about creatine. Advertising for unhealthy food and beverages is more problematic, he believes. – If we are to look at everything that leads to body pressure and the problematic things that the entire advertising industry helps to create, I think we have bigger challenges than exercise products. Brand manager at Proteinfabrikken, Egil Berli-Johansen, says they do not target advertising at children and young people. Photo: private I don’t think they will be affected The survey “Children and the media” is carried out every two years. In this year’s survey, approximately 3,200 9–18-year-olds from 78 schools across the country participated. – Many were negative about advertising that should give bigger muscles. But there were also some who were indifferent, says director Mari Velsand. – It is a bit alarming, because it could mean that they are so used to this that they do not react to it. The three classmates at Wang Ung in Fredrikstad believe they are not particularly influenced by what they see. – I have never thought about it, says Thomas Stenakerød (13). – It is possible that I am influenced without my knowing it myself, but I am concerned that it should not affect me, says Haakon Kon Kølbel. Thomas Stenakerød, Haakon Kon Kølbel and Sander Johansen are active, and attend the Wang Ung youth sports school. Photo: Amalie Fagerhaug Evjen / news
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– I try to scroll it away, but it comes up weekly – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
