Promoting Nutrition and Physical Activity Through Social Marketing: Current Practices and Recommendations.
Abstract This study reviewed 50 key social marketing interventions intended to promote better nutritional practices and physical activity, and offered recommendations for improving future health promotion efforts in this area. Thirty-three research questions were posed, organized around planning, design, implementation, and evaluation. Each intervention was coded on the variables identified in the research questions. Data analyses were based on descriptive statistics. Findings showed most common goal was prevention of cardiovascular disease, followed by prevention of obesity, high cholesterol, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis. Majority of interventions promoted both nutrition and physical activity. Campaign goals and objectives were infrequently given in measurable terms. The social-behavioral theories most frequently referenced in these campaigns were social learning theory, community organization model, and the social-ecological model. Audiences were segmented mostly on demographic criteria and rarely on lifestyle or cultural principles. Adults were more likely to be targeted than adolescents or children. Individual behaviors were more likely the focus of change rather than family practices and/or community norms/activities. Changes in policy were rarely attempted, thus media advocacy was infrequently used. Most interventions enlisted some community participation. More than one-half of campaigns identified intervention maintenance as a long-term goal. Summative evaluation was often modest in scope. Knowledge gains, self-reported behavior changes, and measured clinical changes were most common outcomes measure reported. Morbidity, and mortality changes, and cost-effectiveness evaluations were uncommon. Based on these results recommendations were presented for improving social marketing interventions.
Learning Objectives: Strengths and limitations of social marketing interventions in the areas of nutrition and physical activity
Keywords: Social Marketing,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.