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Concrete Messages Increase Healthy Eating Preferences.

ABSTRACT: Public health campaigns utilize messaging to encourage healthy eating. The present experimental study investigated the impact of three components of health messages on preferences for healthy foods. We exposed 1676 online, American study participants to messages that described the gains associated with eating healthy foods or the costs associated with not eating healthy foods. Messages also manipulated the degree to which they included abstract and concrete language and the temporal distance to foreshadowed outcomes. Analysis of variance statistical tests indicated that concrete rather than abstract language increased the frequency of choosing healthy over unhealthy foods when indicating food preferences. However, manipulations of proximity to outcomes and gain rather than loss frame did not affect food preferences. We discuss implications for effective public health campaigns, and economic and social cognitive theories of persuasion, and our data suggest that describing health outcomes in concrete rather than abstract terms may motivate healthier choices.

SUBMITTER: Balcetis E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8314282 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Concrete Messages Increase Healthy Eating Preferences.

Balcetis Emily E Manivannan Madhumitha M Cox E Blair EB

European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education 20200618 2

Public health campaigns utilize messaging to encourage healthy eating. The present experimental study investigated the impact of three components of health messages on preferences for healthy foods. We exposed 1676 online, American study participants to messages that described the gains associated with eating healthy foods or the costs associated with not eating healthy foods. Messages also manipulated the degree to which they included abstract and concrete language and the temporal distance to ...[more]

PMID: 34542526

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Project description:BackgroundExisting initiatives to promote healthy eating remain largely ineffective as individuals struggle to adhere to dietary recommendations. Therefore, challenging the strategies currently used is of significant importance. Recent studies have indicated the potential of an approach oriented towards eating pleasure to promote the consumption of healthy foods.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare perceptions and the potential effect of pleasure-oriented and health-oriented messages promoting healthy eating among French-Canadians.MethodsTwo leaflets similar in all respects, except for the message orientation (pleasure or health), were developed. Perceived message orientation and effectiveness, perceptions towards healthy eating as well as emotions, attitude towards healthy eating, and intention to eat healthily were evaluated. A total of 100 adults (50% women; mean ± SD age 45.1 ± 13.0 y) were randomly assigned to read 1 of the 2 leaflets (pleasure: n = 50; health: n = 50). Questionnaires were completed online and data were also collected at a visit made to the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods.ResultsThe difference in message orientation (pleasure compared with health) was well perceived by participants (P ≤ 0.01). The pleasure-oriented message was successful in inducing the perception that eating healthy can be pleasurable (pre- compared with post-reading; P = 0.01). Perceived message effectiveness and induced emotions in response to reading were similar between leaflets. Both messages significantly improved global attitude towards healthy eating (P ≤ 0.01) and increased intention to eat healthily (P < 0.001). Additional analyses showed that the affective attitude towards healthy eating increased more after reading the pleasure leaflet than the health leaflet (P = 0.05), whereas the health message tended to improve cognitive attitude more than the pleasure leaflet (P = 0.06).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the leaflets would be appropriate to promote healthy eating through 2 distinct approaches (health and pleasure paradigms) and propose that different effects on attitude could be observed from these 2 approaches.

Project description:BackgroundUnhealthy dietary patterns are highly prevalent in Western countries, and they have been associated with depression, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Many dietary interventions have been developed to promote healthier dietary behavior, yet most do not achieve the intended dietary change. This study aims to provide a better understanding of what Dutch consumers perceive as a healthy diet, how this relates to the current Dutch nutrition guidelines, and their preferences for how to eat more healthily. This is an essential consideration for the development of tailored interventions aimed to help people adopt changes in their dietary behavior.MethodsSeventy-eight participants filled in an online questionnaire containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions. The qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis resulting in a classification scheme. Two students then identified to which category each part of a participant's answer belonged.ResultsFor both the perception of a healthy diet and how to eat healthily, four major categories and a residual category were identified: dietary patterns, food processing, food products, content/nutrients, and non-food. These major categories consisted of several categories. The results showed that how people perceived a healthy diet was mostly represented at the level of food product (vegetables and fruit) and the content/nutrient level (carbohydrates), whereas how they would like to eat healthily was mostly represented at the level of food processing (preparation), food product (vegetables), and dietary patterns (amount).ConclusionsOur findings are mostly in line with how the Dutch dietary guidelines are communicated ("product level"). However, consumers primarily mention single aspects instead of naming the guidelines as a whole. Health policymakers can use this insight in future communications regarding the guidelines to the general public. A challenge for future (eHealth) diet interventions is how to implement and tailor dietary information that optimally connects with the perceptions of the target population.

Project description:ObjectivesWe compared the effectiveness of diabetes-focused messaging strategies at increasing enrolment in a healthy food programme among adults with diabetes.MethodsVitality is a multifaceted wellness benefit available to members of Discovery Health, a South Africa-based health insurer. One of the largest Vitality programmes is HealthyFood (HF), an incentive-based programme designed to encourage healthier diets by providing up to 25% cashback on healthy food purchases. We randomised adults with type 2 diabetes to 1 of 5 arms: (1) control, (2) a diabetes-specific message, (3) a message with a recommendation of HF written from the perspective of a HF member with diabetes, (4) a message containing a physician's recommendation of HF, or (5) the diabetes-specific message from arm 2 paired with an 'enhanced active choice'(EAC). In an EAC, readers are asked to make an immediate choice (in this case, to enrol or not enrol); the pros and cons associated with the preferred and non-preferred options are highlighted. HF enrolment was assessed 1 month following the first emailed message.ResultsWe randomised 3906 members. After excluding those who enrolled in HF or departed from the Vitality programme before the first intervention email, 3665 (94%) were included in a modified intent-to-treat analysis. All 4 experimental arms had significantly higher HF enrolment rates compared with control (p<0.0001 for all comparisons). When comparing experimental arms, the diabetes-specific message with the EAC had a significantly higher enrolment rate (12.6%) than the diabetes-specific message alone (7.6%, p=0.0016).ConclusionsMessages focused on diabetes were effective at increasing enrolment in a healthy food programme. The addition of a framed active choice to a message significantly raised enrolment rates in this population. These findings suggest that simple, low-cost interventions can enhance enrolment in health promoting programmes and also be pragmatically tested within those programmes.Trial registration numberNCT02462057.

Project description:IntroductionTo reduce obesity-related disparities, reaching economically disadvantaged and/or minority status adolescents to assist them in meeting physical activity (PA) and nutrition recommendations is important. To address the problem, a 16-week intervention called Guys/Girls Opt for Activities for Life (GOAL) was designed. The purpose of this randomised controlled trial is to evaluate any effect of the intervention, compared with a control condition, on improving: (1) adolescents' % body fat (primary outcome), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), diet quality and cardiorespiratory fitness from 0 to 4 months; (2) body mass index (BMI), overweight/obesity percentage and quality of life from 0 to 4 months and to 13 months; and (3) perceived social support, self-efficacy and motivation from 0 to 4 months with evaluation of any mediating effect on adolescent PA and diet quality. An exploratory aim is to evaluate any effect of the intervention, compared with the control, on improving parents'/guardians' home environment, MVPA and diet quality from 0 to 4 months; and BMI from 0 to 4 months and to 13 months.Methods and analysisAdolescents (fifth to eighth grade) in 14 schools located in underserved urban communities are randomly assigned to the intervention or usual school offerings. One parent per adolescent is enrolled (882 dyads total). Cohort 1 includes four schools (2022-2023). Cohorts 2 and 3 include 5 schools in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, respectively. The 16-week intervention has three components: (1) after-school GOAL club for adolescents to engage in PA and healthy eating/cooking activities; (2) three parent-adolescent meetings to empower parents to assist adolescents; and (3) GOAL social networking website for parents to share how they helped their adolescent.Ethics and disseminationThe Michigan State University Biomedical Institutional Review Board provided ethical approval for the study. Findings will be shared via the trial registration database, peer-reviewed publications, conferences and community-oriented strategies.Trial registration numberNCT04213014.

Project description:BackgroundA healthy diet is important not only for the growth and development of the human body but also for the prevention of chronic diseases. However, most Swedish adolescents do not follow dietary recommendations, especially the intake of whole grain is very low. To create targeted conditions for healthy food choices amongst adolescents, comprehensive knowledge of factors related to adolescents' unhealthy and healthy eating is needed.ObjectiveTo investigate adolescents' attitudes, preferences and perceived behaviours regarding healthy eating, with a specific focus on whole grains and to evaluate differences between genders and between adolescents with higher versus lower health interest.DesignA total of 1,178 Swedish adolescents responded to a questionnaire about their attitudes, preferences and perceived behabviours towards healthy eating and whole grains, and their general interest in nutrition and health. Results of girls and boys were compared, as well as adolescents with a higher versus lower health interest.ResultsDisplays information about healthy eating among adolescents and a comprehensive set of factors that may affect their ability to eat healthier. Overall, adolescents had a positive attitude towards food and health, but less than half felt that they managed to eat healthy. The consumption of different whole grain products was low, although the willingness to eat healthier and more whole grain was high. The most reported barrier to healthy eating, as well as increasing whole grain intake, was the unavailability of tasty healthy products, taste being even more important for adolescents with a low health interest than those with a high interest. Whole grain consumption and factors increasing the willingness of whole grain consumption were most prominent not only in adolescents with high health interest but also in girls compared with boys.ConclusionThe results show good potential to improve dietary habits amongst adolescents. Taste and availability of healthy products were rated the most important, whilst knowledge about the products' healthiness was rated the least important, especially amongst those with low health interest. By focusing on the attitudes and preferences of adolescents, the effectiveness may increase of initiatives to improve their dietary habits.

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Concrete Messages Increase Healthy Eating Preferences.

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Concrete Messages Increase Healthy Eating Preferences.

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