Would US teens be any slimmer if Katy Perry hawked kale and quinoa?
New research doesn't prove a link, but its authors think music stars popular with teens may be contributing to the obesity epidemic by endorsing fatty fast food, snacks and soda.
The study shows that 20 of the hottest teen-music heartthrobs have done TV ads or other promotions for products nutritionists consider unhealthy.
Of 107 food and drink endorsements included in the study, few were for nutritious foods, the researchers said.
Lead author Marie Bragg, a food policy and obesity researcher at New York University, singled out one "natural whole-food product". That was South Korean pop star Psy's "crackin' gangnam-style" TV ad for Wonderful pistachios, shown during the Super Bowl in 2013.
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About 80 per cent of celebrity-endorsed food ads were high-calorie products including snack chips and chocolate, or fast-food restaurants including McDonald's, Chili's and A&W. Most of the beverage ads were for sugary sodas.
The list includes Justin Timberlake ads or promotions for Chili's, McDonald's and Pepsi; and will.i.am ads or campaigns linked with Coca-Cola, Doritos, Dr Pepper and Pepsi.
Perry is included for her endorsement of Popchips and her appearance in a Pepsi-sponsored Super Bowl half-time show, not an actual endorsement. Her spokeswoman, Ruth Bernstein, said Perry has never had an endorsement deal with Pepsi.
The study was published on Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
"Celebrities should leverage their influence to promote more healthful messages," the researchers said.
They cited previous studies linking food and beverage marketing with excess eating and childhood obesity. Bragg noted a 2013 study from Australia that found sports celebrity endorsements influenced 11-year-old boys to buy fast food.
