Children's ability to evaluate television commercial messages for sugared products.

A study of the ability of 120 children to evaluate the cariogenic potential of products presented in commercial television messages was undertaken. Each child was shown commercials for sugar-containing products. The results indicated: 1) grade-related differences exist in a child's ability to evaluate products; 2) no differences between socioeconomic status groups were found in a child's ability to evaluate products; 3) a weak relationship between the level of dental health knowledge and ability to evaluate the products.