The California Latino 5 a Day Campaign conducts culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate and community-based social marketing interventions to encourage Latino adults to consume 5 or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables. From June through September 2000, the Campaign conducted a quasi-experimental study to determine whether its mass media, festival, farmers’/flea market and retail interventions improve the fruit and vegetable intake and related behavioral determinants of Latino adults. A sample of 944 Latinos, aged 18-65 years, was recruited to participate in the study through a targeted random digit dialing telephone method. Participants residing in Fresno, California received a four-month exposure to Spanish and English television and radio advertisements, bilingual mobile billboard advertisements, bilingual spokespeople interviews with electronic and print media, and festival, farmers’/flea market, and retail interventions. Participants in Riverside/San Bernardino, California received no intervention. Telephone interviews were conducted before and after the intervention period in the two communities to measure changes in fruit and vegetable intake and related behavioral determinants. Preliminary results suggest that the intervention was successful in significantly increasing the fruit and vegetable intake of Spanish-language dominant Latinos in Fresno. Additional findings will be forthcoming pending the completion of data analysis. The findings and recommendations generated from the study will guide the development of future Campaign activities and may provide direction for other public health programs targeting similar Latino communities.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the session participants will be able to: 1) Identify at least five culturally and linguistically appropriate social marketing activities that can be used to influence fruit & vegetable intake of Latino adults. 2) Identify at least three ways that mass media, community, and retail interventions influence the fruit and vegetable intake and related behavioral determinants of Latino adults in California. 3) Describe how mass media, community and retail interventions influence the fruit and vegetable intake and related behavioral determinants of Latino adults in California.
Keywords: Social Marketing, Latino Health
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.