Researchers are calling for a ban of alcohol sponsorship in sport after a study found audiences were exposed to a high frequency of alcohol marketing during sport broadcasts.
In a recent New Zealand Medical journal article, researchers analysed alcohol marketing during major sports events on New Zealand television and found large audiences were exposed to between 1.6 and 3.8 alcohol brand exposures per minute.
Otago University assistant research fellow Tim Chambers, a co-author of the research, said there is "solid" evidence connecting exposure to alcohol marketing and higher levels of consumption.
"There's been multiple systematic reviews now that show that this type of exposure to alcohol marketing, especially through sports sponsorship, has increased the levels of drinking in children as well as the hazardous levels of drinking in children."
He said studies have also found sports sponsorship is more persuasive than traditional forms of advertising as it "conflates alcohol with sport".