Food-related sponsorship of children's sports clubs in two Canadian policy environments: a survey of sports club representatives.

This study characterized the food-related companies that sponsor children's sports clubs in two Canadian policy environments and described the benefits of this sponsorship for both clubs and sponsors. Representatives from 349 sports clubs in the province of Ontario (ON; where there are no mandatory advertising regulations) and 182 clubs in Quebec (QC; where there are mandatory limits on sponsorship-related advertising directed at children aged <13 years) were invited to complete an interviewer-administered survey in 2022-3. The response rate was 16%. At least 45% of participating clubs in ON (21/47) and 55% in QC (22/40) were sponsored by a food-related company. The most frequent type of food-related sponsor was fast food restaurants (ON: 50% of food-related sponsors, QC: 38%). The most common benefit received from food-related sponsors included direct funding (ON: 21% of clubs; QC: 25%) and in-kind benefits such as uniforms (ON: 19%, QC: 18%) and free/discounted food (ON: 15%, QC: 28%). Among clubs who received these benefits, their value was small relative to club's total revenue (i.e. ≤1% for funding; ≤1.5% for in-kind benefits) in most cases. Food-related sponsors were often promoted on uniforms and sports awards, particularly those for children aged ≤12 years (ON: 23% and 13% of clubs and QC: 28% and 18%, respectively). Overall, children are exposed to advertising stemming from food company sponsorship in both policy environments. The value of benefits derived from this sponsorship was minimal in most cases. QC's restrictions do not appear to be limiting prominent forms of food advertising (e.g. branded uniforms) that reach children aged <13 years.