142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Which benefit should we emphasize? Health or energy? An analysis of perceived advantages of eating fruit and vegetables

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, MA, MPH , School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Susan Nyawade, MSc, B.Ed , Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington., Bloomington, IN
Alyce Fly, Ph.D , Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Susan E. Middlestadt, PhD , Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
INTRODUCTION: This presentation illustrates how theory-based research can identify perceptions to address in messages to promote healthy eating.  

METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with students (n=221) from three middle schools and adults (n=182) from four Indiana worksites. To elicit top-of-the-mind advantages, participants were asked what good things would happen if you eat at least two cups of green vegetables each week (n=137); at least two cups of orange vegetables each week (n=126); or at least one cup of fruit every week day (n=140). Content analysis created categories (Κ=.956). Participants were divided into high and low based on amount consumed in one-week recall. Chi-square analyses compared high and low consumers on percent mentioning each advantage.

RESULTS: The advantages most frequently mentioned were: will make me healthier (46%); will provide me with vitamins and nutrients (32%); will give me energy (23%); will help me eat more healthy food  (20%); and will help control my  weight (15%). For one of these categories (will give me energy), the percent mentioning the advantage was higher for high consumers (27%) than for low consumers (17%). Will give me energy included will wake me up, help me think better, and be more productive.

DISCUSSION: These results suggest that both high and low consumers already believe that eating fruits and vegetables will make them healthier. However, they also suggest that showing those who consume lower amounts of fruits and vegetables how eating them might lead to increased energy and alertness might help convince them to eat more.

Learning Areas:

Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify advantages of eating fruits and vegetables perceived by students and adults in a community Describe a theory-based approach to determine how to prioritize among many benefits of a behavior when developing health and nutrition messages

Keyword(s): Social Marketing, Behavioral Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present this content because I am part of the research team that conducted this study. I have a graduate degree in public health and several years of experience in public health, health education, and health promotion. Furthermore, my PhD training is in theory-driven interventions and data analysis
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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