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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Reba Griffith, MPH¹, Kristen Riehman, MS, MPH², L. Michele Maynard, PhD², Lori Schmoyer, MPH², Eileen Hanlon, MHS³, and Shelley Goldberg, MPH, RD⁴. (1) Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, CDC, 5440 Buford Hwy., NE, Mail Stop K-26, Atlanta;, GA 30341-3724, 770-488-5548, rkg4@cdc.gov, (2) Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highwayway, Mailstop K-46, Atlanta;, GA 30341-3724, (3) Behavior Change Group, Academy for Educational Development, 1825 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009-5721, (4) International Food Information Council, 1100 Connecticut Ave., Suite 430, Washington, DC 20036

At a time when the public is inundated with information about nutrition and weight control from various sources, the public health community is challenged to break throught the fray with dietary messages and strategies that are based on sound science and government recommendations. In response to this need, the Division of Nutrition and Physical Actaivity at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is conducting several phases of focus groups to test stratgies for reducing energy intake with consumers. The purpose of this project is to gain insight into how to craft effective weight control messages that will resonate with consumers.

In the first phase of focus groups, three strategies for reducing energy intake were tested: reducing portion size of food, reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and reducing consumption of foods with high energy-desinsity (calories per weight of food). These strategies are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 6th edition. Focus groups were conducted with two specific target audience segments: the "Confident Competents" and the "At Risk Uncertains." These segments were identified through an audience segmentation analysis using data from Porter Novelli's 2003 Styles market research database. Both segments are motivated to lose weight, but differ in their levels of self-efficacy for making dietary changes.

Findings from the first phase of focus groups will be presented. The presentation will include methods used, highlights of audience insights and responses, differences observed by race/ethnicity, age, gender, and parental status, and implications for practice.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

• Describe how focus groups can be used to translate key strategies for reducing energy intake to audiences that are motivated to control their weight but have different levels of perceived efficacy.
• Discuss ways in which audience attitudes and responses can offer key insights toward effecitvely promoting science-driven approaches to achieve healthy weight loss or management.
• Discuss implications for applying audience understanding to the development of web site and print materials for particular segments of the public.

Keywords: Audience Segmentation, Adult Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation