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Communicate healthy eating to adolescents. Kara Chan, Gerard Prendergast, HKBU Alice Gronhoj, Tino Bech-Larsen, University of Aarhus, Denmark. background. Obesity is a global problem Estimated economic costs of obesity in developed countries: 2-7% of health care costs
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Communicate healthy eating to adolescents Kara Chan, Gerard Prendergast, HKBUAlice Gronhoj, Tino Bech-Larsen, University of Aarhus, Denmark
background • Obesity is a global problem • Estimated economic costs of obesity in developed countries: 2-7% of health care costs • Obesity is related with psycho-social problems
Obesity problem • Estimated that over 155 million overweight children and youth in the world • In HK: obesity among primary school students in HK increased from 16% in 97/98 to 19% in 04/05 • One in every five children in HK is obese • They also suffer from high blood pressure, blood sugar or abnormal blood fat levels
Communicating healthy eating to children • Seen as a socialization process • Socializing agents: parents, government, teachers/schools, peer groups, food marketers • health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO)
Hong Kong context • Densely populated • 42% of population aged under 34 • Educational system: exam-oriented, spoon-feeding, emphasis on academic performance • Favorite leisure activities: TV, computer games, surfing on the Internet • HK children extremely inactive
Government input • Department of Health: one of the missions is to promote public health through preventive, curative and rehabilitative services • Government publicity: free TV airtime, 1 minute in every hour of broadcast (radio and TV)
Past PSA campaigns • 3 series of TVC • Healthy diet: 3+2 is the way • Healthy lunch box for elementary school students • Healthy snacks at schools for elementary school students • No publicity targeted at adolescents
Research questions • What are their perceptions of healthy/unhealthy eating? • How do they perceive about different socializing agents • How do they respond to different advertising appeals
method • Survey based on a focus group study • Construction of 5 ads (popularly, love, achievement, news, and fear) • Sample: 152 grades 7-9 students (aged 12 to 16) • Response rate: 95% • Conducted in March 2007
Results: eating habits At least once a week percentage
Perception of healthy eating percentage
Perception of unhealthy eating percentage
contexts of healthy eating percentage
contexts of unhealthy eating percentage
Conclusion: to promote healthy eating • Two-pronged approaches: directly targeting the increasingly independent adolescents; or indirectly through parents • Government: targeted messages that deals with eating out and social contexts • Fear and news appeal