Does Exposure to the Choose Water Campaign Increase Parental Intentions to Promote More Water and Less Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption?

Abstract

Purpose: To assess if exposure to the Choose Water public health media campaign increased parents’ intentions to promote healthier beverage consumption in their household. Design: A cross-sectional evaluation administered post-campaign. Setting: A 2017 internet panel survey in Los Angeles County, California. Participants: The survey included 499 parents of young children. Intervention: The Choose Water media campaign included digital media and out-of-home advertisements (eg, transit shelters, interiors of buses) in both English and Spanish. Measures: Dichotomous outcome variables were parental intentions to give child(ren) (1) more water and (2) less sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in their households. The independent variable was campaign exposure, categorized as no exposure, exposed but did not discuss visual, and exposed and discussed visual with someone. Analysis: Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regressions. Results: Among those who were exposed and discussed a campaign visual, the adjusted odds of intending to promote water consumption were 2.82 times greater than for those who reported no exposure (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.46-5.46). Similar odds to promote less sugar-sweetened beverage consumption were observed for those who were exposed and discussed a campaign visual (adjusted odds ratio: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.76-6.08). Those with the lowest educational attainment discussed the visual(s) less (10.5%). Conclusion: Word of mouth may enhance health messaging by allowing time for intended audiences to process campaign content within their interpersonal network.

Alaska’s Play Every Day Campaign Encourages Parents to Serve Healthy Drinks to Young Children

“…The few campaigns designed to promote healthy beverage consumption by young children show promise (Caldwell et al, 2020; Krieger et al, 2021). Los Angeles County’s community-based 2017 Choose Water campaign used digital media and ads in buses and transit shelters to influence parents’ behaviors (Caldwell et al, 2020). The campaign was associated with increased intention to serve water and fewer sugary drinks at home to young children, but showed less success among parents with the lowest educational attainment (Caldwell et al, 2020).…”

How have media campaigns been used to promote and discourage healthy and unhealthy beverages in the United States? A systematic scoping review to inform future research to reduce sugary beverage health risks

“…Healthy Eating Research National Program and four organizations, was based on the 2019 healthy beverage consensus guidelines for children birth to age 5 years 12 . Section 4.7 describes 12 evaluations for 11 campaigns 72–83 …”

“…12 Section 4.7 describes 12 evaluations for 11 campaigns. 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 …”

“…The evaluations for 14 studies 51 , 52 , 57 , 58 , 63 , 64 , 72 , 73 , 75 , 76 , 78 , 79 , 81 , 82 , 86 reported positive changes to short‐term cognitive outcomes, especially knowledge about the benefits of water or milk and the consequences of drinking sugary beverages. Two independent evaluations 51 , 52 were identified for the ABA‐funded BCI campaign that aimed to decrease per capita intake of energy from beverages by 20% by 2025.…”

“…51,52,55,56,63 Only two evaluations 74,86 had involved ethnically diverse youth who are disproportionately impacted by sugary beverage marketing. 17 The evaluations for 14 studies 51,52,57,58,63,64,72,73,75,76,78,79,81,82,86 reported positive changes to short-term cognitive outcomes, especially knowledge about the benefits of water or milk and the consequences of drinking sugary beverages. Two independent b Samuels et al 82 did not conduct a baseline assessment, so it is not possible to report changes in the postcampaign evaluation.…”