Health Promotion International - Advance Access

A content analysis of British food advertisements aimed at children and adults

Sixsmith, R., Furnham, A. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:12:20 PST

This study explored the differences between 35 child-focused and 52 adult-focused food advertisements sampled from 45 hrs of British television. More child-focused advertisements contained claims of health benefits; scientific information; were shot in ‘Leisure’ settings; with male characters; had cartoons; and were often fantasy-based. Conversely, significantly more adult-focused advertisements contained price/value information; were shot in ‘Shop’ settings; with female characters; and starring celebrities. Child-focused advertisements were mainly for convenience foods and snacks which are of considerable interest to health promotion policy makers.

Growing or connecting? An urban food garden in Johannesburg

Wills, J., Chinemana, F., Rudolph, M. — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:25:43 PST

Issues of food security are of particular importance in urban areas in Africa and government policy advises on the household growing of vegetables for nutrition. The Siyakhana project is a food garden in the centre of Johannesburg which was established by a University Health Promotion Unit with the support of other stakeholders including the City authorities and a permaculture organization. It was set up with the objective of providing food for children attending early-childhood development centres and for the beneficiaries of non-governmental organizations providing home-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS. One year after start-up, an evaluation was conducted, based on the measures of outcome identified as significant by those involved in the project. Its impact on health is not yet measurable, but as the amounts of fruits and vegetables available and consumed in South Africa are low compared with WHO recommendations, it is a useful addition to food security in an urban area. Mobilizing around the food garden supported bonding among homogenous but separate third-sector organizations, through increased opportunities for networking which built trust, reciprocity and resource exchange. The project also provides a model for a community–university partnership providing opportunities for service learning by students and for social investment by the university.

Bullying among middle-school students in low and middle income countries

Fleming, L. C., Jacobsen, K. H. — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:43:59 PST

This analysis of data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey examined the prevalence of bully victimization in middle-school students in 19 low- and middle-income countries and also explored the relationship between bullying, mental health and health behaviors. In most countries, boys were more likely than girls to report being bullied and the prevalence of bullying was lower with increasing age. Students who reported being bullied in the past month were more likely than non-bullied students to report feelings of sadness and hopelessness, loneliness, insomnia and suicidal ideation. Bullied students also reported higher rates of tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use and sexual intercourse.

Local school policies increase physical activity in Norwegian secondary schools

Haug, E., Torsheim, T., Samdal, O. — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:43:58 PST

The implementation of school policies to support the adoption of physical activity is one of the main strategies recommended to increase physical activity levels among this age group. However, documentation of the effect of such policies is so far limited. The purpose of this study was to explore policy-related practices to support physical activity in Norwegian secondary schools and their association with recess physical activity. Emphasis was given to examine the association between policies and physical activity, over and beyond, individual level interests and environmental factors and to examine cross-level interaction effects. This cross-sectional study was based on a nationally representative sample of Norwegian secondary schools and grade 8 students who participated in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2005/06 study. The final sample comprised 68 schools and 1347 students. Data were collected through questionnaires. The results showed that schools with a written policy for physical activity and schools offering organized non-curricular physical activity several times a week had a higher proportion of students reporting daily participation in recess physical activity. Multilevel logistic regression analysis demonstrated a cross-level main effect of the policy index after controlling for sex, socio-economic status, individual-level interests and the physical environment. A significant contribution of adding the policy index to the prediction of recess physical activity above that provided by the individual-level interests and the physical environment was demonstrated. The results are encouraging and give scientific support to policy documents recommending the implementation of school policies to increase physical activity.

Cyclists' attitudes toward policies encouraging bicycle travel: findings from the Taupo Bicycle Study in New Zealand

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:58:30 PDT

Utility cycling provides substantial health, environmental and economic benefits. Despite a favourable trend in leisure-time cycling, cycling is infrequently used for everyday travel needs in New Zealand. This study investigated cyclists' attitudes toward environmental and policy measures that would encourage them to cycle more, particularly for a trip to work. A cross-sectional analysis was undertaken using baseline data obtained from the Taupo Bicycle Study, a web-based longitudinal study. The study population comprised 2469 cyclists, aged 16 years or over, who had enrolled in the 2006 Wattyl Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge. The majority (88%) reported the provision of bicycle lanes as an important factor that would encourage them to cycle more often, followed by bicycle paths (76%), better bicycle security (64%), reduced motor vehicle speed (55%) and bike friendly public transport (38%). Of those who reported travelling to work at least once a week (N = 2223), varying proportions reported shower facilities at work (61%), fewer difficult intersections (43%), rising fuel costs (41%), fewer car parks (27%), bike designed to commute (26%) and rising cost of car parking (25%) as important factors that would encourage them to cycle to work more often. There were important differences in these perceived influences defined by the participants' socio-demographic characteristics and current cycling habits.

Testing the hierarchy of effects model: ParticipACTION's serial mass communication campaigns on physical activity in Canada

Craig, C. L., Bauman, A., Reger-Nash, B. — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:14:22 PDT

The hierarchy of effects (HOE) model is often used in planning mass-reach communication campaigns to promote health, but has rarely been empirically tested. This paper examines Canada's 30 year ParticipACTION campaign to promote physical activity (PA). A cohort from the nationally representative 1981 Canada Fitness Survey was followed up in 1988 and 2002–2004. Modelling of these data tested whether the mechanisms of campaign effects followed the theoretical framework proposed in the HOE. Campaign awareness was measured in 1981. Outcome expectancy, attitudes, decision balance and future intention were asked in 1988. PA was assessed at all time points. Logistic regression was used to sequentially test mediating and moderating variables adjusting for age, sex and education. No selection bias was observed; however, relatively fewer respondents than non-respondents smoked or were underweight at baseline. Among those inactive at baseline, campaign awareness predicted outcome expectancy which in turn predicted positive attitude to PA. Positive attitudes predicted high decision balance, which predicted future intention. Future intention mediated the relationship between decision balance and sufficient activity. Among those sufficiently active at baseline, awareness was unrelated to outcome expectancy and inversely related to positive attitude. These results lend support to the HOE model, in that the effects of ParticipACTION's serial mass media campaigns were consistent with the sequential rollout of its messages, which in turn was associated with achieving an active lifestyle among those initially insufficiently active. This provides support to an often-used theoretical framework for designing health promotion media campaigns.

Socio-demographic predictors of health behaviors in Mexican college students

Ulla Diez, S. M., Perez-Fortis, A. — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:14:21 PDT

Our objectives in this cross-sectional descriptive study were to analyze to what extent freshmen exhibit healthy behaviors, which socio-demographic variables predict healthy or unhealthy lifestyle, and what is the strength of the relationship. Three hundred seven Mexican University students were assessed. t-Test and adjusted multiple regression analysis were computed. Life style was measured by use of the HPLP-II questionnaire and socio-demographics data. The results showed that most students presented a non-healthy lifestyle profile. Overall, the health behavior score was predicted by sex, mother's education and socio-economic level (R² = 0.104; p = 0.00001). When controlling for the other variables, nutrition was partially predicted by mother's education (R² = 0.048; p = 0.001); physical activity and stress management were modulated by sex, marital status and mother's education (R² = 0.111, p < 0.0001; R² = 0.096; p = 0.0001, respectively); interpersonal relations were predicted by mother's education and socio-economic level (R² = 0.104; p < 0.0001). These influences should be taken into account in designing interventions for specific socio-demographic profiles that might be at higher risk for certain behaviors.

Comparative responses to radio and television anti-smoking advertisements to encourage smoking cessation

Durkin, S., Wakefield, M. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:20:58 PDT

While mass media campaigns have been shown to contribute to reductions in smoking prevalence, little research has been undertaken on the effectiveness of radio advertising as a communication medium. This is despite radio being less expensive and having greater reach than television in some low and middle income countries. We aimed to explore the potential of radio as an adjunct or alternative to televised campaigns by comparing reactions to a radio anti-smoking ad with three televised anti-smoking ads, all of which communicated the serious health consequences of smoking in an emotionally evocative way. In pre-exposure interviews, 18–59-year-old daily smokers (n = 306) were asked to listen to a particular radio time slot/watch a particular television program that they usually listened to/watched, in which the ad was broadcast. Post-exposure interviews were conducted within 3 days of exposure and measured recall, recognition, emotional and cognitive responses, and intentions to quit smoking. Findings indicate that the radio ad showed similar or slightly higher levels than a concurrently aired television ad on understanding (radio: 96%; television: 95%), believability (radio: 89%; television: 90%), concern about smoking (both 77%) and motivation to quit (radio: 51%; television: 45%), and significantly higher levels of unprompted recall (radio: 20%; television: 6%). It also compared well against two subsequent anti-smoking television ads. Emotionally evocative radio advertising may be an effective adjunct or alternative to television advertising in jurisdictions where there are substantial limits on funds available for airing these campaigns, or where the reach of radio outstrips television.

A call for an International Collaboration on Participatory Research for Health

Wright, M. T., Roche, B., von Unger, H., Block, M., Gardner, B. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:06:24 PDT

Participatory health research (PHR) has emerged as an important approach for addressing local health issues, including building capacity for health promotion. Increasingly, PHR is drawing the attention of communities, funders, decision-makers and researchers worldwide. It is time to consolidate what we know about PHR in order to secure its place as a source of knowledge and action for public health. This can be achieved through an International Collaboration on Participatory Research for Health to addresses the following issues:

Set a framework in which information can be exchanged, decisions can be reached and information can be disseminated on central issues in PHR.

Provide an international forum to discuss standards and quality.

Produce guidelines for researchers, practitioners and community members.

Synthesize the findings of PHR internationally.

Formulate recommendations regarding generalizable findings.

Similar to the Cochrane Collaboration on clinical trials research, the PHR Collaboration will be dependent on a host of experts from various countries to bring together what we know about PHR and to make that knowledge accessible to an international audience. Unlike the Cochrane Collaboration, the PHR Collaboration will include both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The goal of the PHR Collaboration will not be able to achieve a standardization of research protocols, but rather to find meaningful ways to judge the quality of PHR and to report on its findings while respecting the variety of locally based approaches to research design, data collection and interpretation.