WorldWideScience

Sample records for media promote healthy

  1. Promoting healthy dietary behaviour through personalised nutrition: technology push or technology pull?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stewart-Knox, B.; Rankin, A.; Kuznesof, S.; Poínhos, R.; Vaz de Almeida, M.D.; Fischer, A.R.H.; Frewer, L.J.

    2015-01-01

    The notion of educating the public through generic healthy eating messages has pervaded dietary health promotion efforts over the years and continues to do so through various media, despite little evidence for any enduring impact upon eating behaviour. There is growing evidence, however, that

  2. Should different marketing communication strategies be used to promote healthy eating among male and female adolescents?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Kara; Ng, Yu-Leung; Prendergast, Gerard

    2014-01-01

    A study was conducted to examine how interpersonal norms, media norms, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy had an influence on healthy eating intention among adolescents. A probability sample of 544 adolescents aged 12 to 18 was conducted. Results indicated that girls had a more favorable attitude and intention toward healthy eating than boys. Healthy eating intention among boys was predicted by attitude, perceived behavioral control, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy, and among girls was predicted by perceived behavioral control and self-efficacy. Different marketing strategies to promote healthy eating among adolescent boys and girls should be adopted.

  3. Food Blogger Instagram: Promotion Through Social Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Fariz Syahbani

    2017-04-01

    ABSTRACT Do promotions through food blogger account is the way that is currently being sought after by the culinary business operators to introduce their restaurant. Bloggers have a significant impact of people searching for information through social sites before making a purchase. In other words, the food blogger become a benchmark for people in considering whether or not a restaurant worth visiting. This research aims to determine of promotion through food blogger on social media instagram towards purchase intention of college student in Bandung. This research is a quantitative research. The method used is descriptive - causal. The sampling technique used is a non-probability sample of the type of incidental sampling. The data collection was distributed with questionnaires to 400 respondents who are collage students in Bandung was using instagram and recognizing the phenomenon of food bloggers as media promotion. Data analysis technique used is multiple linear regression analysis. The research results, food blogger promotion through social media on instagram be in good category. Purchase intention of college student at Bandung in good categories. Promotion through food blogger on social media instagram partial effect consisting of context, communication, collaboration and connection to the buying interest of collage students in Bandung and simultaneously influence the buying interest of collage students in Bandung. From this study, it appears that through the instagram as an effective media campaign can provide an explanation and the message delivered effectively and efficiently for displaying a variety of contexts with good multimedia features. Keyword : Promotion, Social Media Marketing, Food Blogger, Purchase Intention

  4. Potentials of Social Media as Media Facility of Tourism Promotion Based on Community Participation

    OpenAIRE

    Romadhan, Mohammad Insan; Rusmana, Dewi Sri Andika

    2018-01-01

    The potential of social media as a media of tourism promotion is vastly massive. Nevertheless, the problem is on how to get social media can be widely known and has abundant followers for the publicized content could be accepted by the crowd. Normally, social media of a tourism promotion is integrated with conventional media like television, radio and newspapers. What if a region does not have large funds to interact with the conventional media, such issue be overcome with community participa...

  5. An Examination of the Association of Social Media Use with the Satisfaction with Daily Routines and Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melanie Austin-McCain

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Social media use has become an integral daily occupation of college and graduate students. In the United States, 90% of adults aged 18 to 29 years use social media (Pew Internet, 2015. Positive and negative data has been found which examined associations between social media use and other daily occupations (activities that impact emotional and physical health. The purpose of this study is to examine the association of social media use with the satisfaction of daily routines and healthy lifestyle habits for undergraduate and graduate students. Method: Undergraduate and graduate students responded to survey questions regarding their social media use, healthy lifestyle habits, and satisfaction with daily routines. Results: Findings revealed that social media use is substantially related to certain healthy lifestyle habits, such as relaxation, leisure, and social participation activities, as well as satisfaction with daily routine. No significant association was found between other healthy habits, such as fitness and healthy eating. Discussion: Undergraduate and graduate students are part of society’s population at risk for poor health (CDC, 2016. Social media use as part of students’ daily routines may not be harmful and can inform interdisciplinary practitioners and educators with essential information and strategies to promote overall health and well-being.

  6. PROMOTING TRADITIONAL FOOD PRODUCTS AS HEALTHY DIET PRODUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihaela Teodora TARCZA

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to propose a brief introspection in the literature review in an attempt to highlight the peculiarities of traditional foodstuffs that enable them to be promoted as the primary food for a healthy diet. The trend of healthy eating is gaining ground not only for experts and researchers, but also for consumers on a daily basis. Traditional foodstuffs are brought back into the consumers’ attention in a market full of highly-processed foodstuffs. Marketing specialists noticed the link between the two concepts and they elaborated promotional strategies for traditional foodstuffs, having the ‘healthy diet’ as insight. Throughout the paper we will present theoretical considerations such as the concept of ‘traditional food product’, ‘promotion’, and ‘healthy diet’ from a marketing perspective followed by several examples of traditional food products perceived as healthy, and lastly, we will highlight the benefits of promoting a healthy diet by consuming traditional food products.

  7. Implementation of healthy lifestyle promotion in primary care: patients as coproducers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Kristin; Bendtsen, Preben; Krevers, Barbro

    2014-11-01

    To explore and theorize how patients perceive, interpret, and reactin healthy lifestyle promotion situations in primary care and to investigate patients' role in implementation of lifestyle promotion illustrated by typologies. Grounded theory was used to assess qualitative interview data from 22 patients with varied experience of healthy lifestyle promotion. Data were analyzed by constant comparative analysis. A substantive theory of being healthy emerged from the data. The theory highlights the processes that are important for implementation before, during, and after lifestyle promotion. Three interconnected categories emerged from the data: conditions for being healthy, managing being healthy, and interactions about being healthy; these formed the core category: being healthy. A typology proposed four patient trajectories on being healthy: resigned, receivers, coworkers, and leaders. Patients coproduced the implementation of lifestyle promotion through the degree of transparency, which was a result of patients' expectations and situation appraisals. Different approaches are needed during lifestyle promotion depending on a variety of patient-related factors. The typology could guide practitioners in their lifestyle promotion practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Role of educational media in promoting Information Communication ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This expository paper examines the role of educational media in promoting. Information Communication Technology in Nigerian Universities. It takes a critical look at some empirical studies on students' academic performance after utilizing educational media. The paper also discusses trends in educational media and ...

  9. : Healthy lifestyles’ promotion

    OpenAIRE

    Fernández Gómez, Erika; Díaz-Campo, Jesús

    2014-01-01

    International audience; The goal of this research was to analyse the advertising of food broadcast by the two Spanish private thematic channels aimed at children with more audience in Spain (Neox and Boing). A content analysis was made in order to study the commercials showed during the hours of children’s enhanced protection established by the normative of this country. The paper presents the increasing concern about kids´ obesity and the role of food industry. Healthy lifestyles are promote...

  10. Interactive social media interventions to promote health equity: an overview of reviews

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, V.; Petkovic, J.; Pardo, J. Pardo; Rader, T.; Tugwell, P.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: Social media use has been increasing in public health and health promotion because it can remove geographic and physical access barriers. However, these interventions also have the potential to increase health inequities for people who do not have access to or do not use social media. In this paper, we aim to assess the effects of interactive social media interventions on health outcomes, behaviour change and health equity. Methods: We conducted a rapid response overview of systematic reviews. We used a sensitive search strategy to identify systematic reviews and included those that focussed on interventions allowing two-way interaction such as discussion forums, social networks (e.g. Facebook and Twitter), blogging, applications linked to online communities and media sharing. Results: Eleven systematic reviews met our inclusion criteria. Most interventions addressed by the reviews included online discussion boards or similar strategies, either as stand-alone interventions or in combination with other interventions. Seven reviews reported mixed effects on health outcomes and healthy behaviours. We did not find disaggregated analyses across characteristics associated with disadvantage, such as lower socioeconomic status or age. However, some targeted studies reported that social media interventions were effective in specific populations in terms of age, socioeconomic status, ethnicities and place of residence. Four reviews reported qualitative benefits such as satisfaction, finding information and improved social support. Conclusion: Social media interventions were effective in certain populations at risk for disadvantage (youth, older adults, low socioeconomic status, rural), which indicates that these interventions may be effective for promoting health equity. However, confirmation of effectiveness would require further study. Several reviews raised the issue of acceptability of social media interventions. Only four studies reported on the

  11. Interactive social media interventions to promote health equity: an overview of reviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Welch

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Social media use has been increasing in public health and health promotion because it can remove geographic and physical access barriers. However, these interventions also have the potential to increase health inequities for people who do not have access to or do not use social media. In this paper, we aim to assess the effects of interactive social media interventions on health outcomes, behaviour change and health equity. Methods: We conducted a rapid response overview of systematic reviews. We used a sensitive search strategy to identify systematic reviews and included those that focussed on interventions allowing two-way interaction such as discussion forums, social networks (e.g. Facebook and Twitter, blogging, applications linked to online communities and media sharing. Results: Eleven systematic reviews met our inclusion criteria. Most interventions addressed by the reviews included online discussion boards or similar strategies, either as stand-alone interventions or in combination with other interventions. Seven reviews reported mixed effects on health outcomes and healthy behaviours. We did not find disaggregated analyses across characteristics associated with disadvantage, such as lower socioeconomic status or age. However, some targeted studies reported that social media interventions were effective in specific populations in terms of age, socioeconomic status, ethnicities and place of residence. Four reviews reported qualitative benefits such as satisfaction, finding information and improved social support. Conclusion: Social media interventions were effective in certain populations at risk for disadvantage (youth, older adults, low socioeconomic status, rural, which indicates that these interventions may be effective for promoting health equity. However, confirmation of effectiveness would require further study. Several reviews raised the issue of acceptability of social media interventions. Only four studies reported

  12. Interactive social media interventions to promote health equity: an overview of reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, V; Petkovic, J; Pardo Pardo, J; Rader, T; Tugwell, P

    2016-04-01

    Social media use has been increasing in public health and health promotion because it can remove geographic and physical access barriers. However, these interventions also have the potential to increase health inequities for people who do not have access to or do not use social media. In this paper, we aim to assess the effects of interactive social media interventions on health outcomes, behaviour change and health equity. We conducted a rapid response overview of systematic reviews. We used a sensitive search strategy to identify systematic reviews and included those that focussed on interventions allowing two-way interaction such as discussion forums, social networks (e.g. Facebook and Twitter), blogging, applications linked to online communities and media sharing. Eleven systematic reviews met our inclusion criteria. Most interventions addressed by the reviews included online discussion boards or similar strategies, either as stand-alone interventions or in combination with other interventions. Seven reviews reported mixed effects on health outcomes and healthy behaviours. We did not find disaggregated analyses across characteristics associated with disadvantage, such as lower socioeconomic status or age. However, some targeted studies reported that social media interventions were effective in specific populations in terms of age, socioeconomic status, ethnicities and place of residence. Four reviews reported qualitative benefits such as satisfaction, finding information and improved social support. Social media interventions were effective in certain populations at risk for disadvantage (youth, older adults, low socioeconomic status, rural), which indicates that these interventions may be effective for promoting health equity. However, confirmation of effectiveness would require further study. Several reviews raised the issue of acceptability of social media interventions. Only four studies reported on the level of intervention use and all of these reported

  13. Social media for health promotion in diabetes: study protocol for a participatory public health intervention design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabarron, E; Bradway, M; Fernandez-Luque, L; Chomutare, T; Hansen, A H; Wynn, R; Årsand, E

    2018-06-05

    Participatory health approaches are increasingly drawing attention among the scientific community, and could be used for health promotion programmes on diabetes through social media. The main aim of this project is to research how to best use social media to promote healthy lifestyles with and within the Norwegian population. The design of the health promotion intervention (HPI) will be participatory, and will involve both a panel of healthcare experts and social media users following the Norwegian Diabetes Association. The panel of experts will agree on the contents by following the Delphi method, and social media users will participate in the definition of the HPI by expressing their opinions through an adhoc online questionnaire. The agreed contents between both parties to be used in the HPI will be posted on three social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) along 24 months. The 3 months before starting the HPI, and the 3 months after the HPI will be used as control data. The effect of the HPI will be assessed by comparing formats, frequency, and reactions to the published HPI messages, as well as comparing potential changes in five support-intended communication behaviours expressed on social media, and variations in sentiment analysis before vs during and after the HPI. The HPI's effect on social media users' health-related lifestyles, online health behaviours, and satisfaction with the intervention will be assessed every 6 months through online questionnaires. A separate questionnaire will be used to assess the panel of experts' satisfaction and perceptions of the benefits for health professionals of a HPI as this one. The time constraints of today's medical practice combined with the piling demand of chronic conditions such as diabetes make any additional request of extra time used by health care professionals a challenge. Social media channels provide efficient, ubiquitous and user-friendly platforms that can encourage participation

  14. Promoting healthy eating at work: a guide for employers

    OpenAIRE

    Public Health Agency

    2010-01-01

    This booklet is part of the Work Well aimed at promoting health in the workplace. It outlines to employers the benefits of promoting healthy eating at work, what action can be taken, the range of healthier food options that can be provided in a canteen or by using external caterers, ways of promoting healthy eating among employees that do not have to be expensive or time consuming, and key steps for action.

  15. Empirical study on how social media promotes product innovation

    OpenAIRE

    Idota, Hiroki; Bunno, Teruyuki; Tsuji, Masatsugu

    2014-01-01

    Social media such as SNS, Twitter, and the blogs has been spreading all over the world, and a large number of firms recognize social media as new communication tools for obtaining information on consumer needs and market for developing new goods and services and promoting marketing. In spite of increasing its use in the reality, academic research on whether or how social media contributes to promoting product innovation is not enough yet. This study thus attempts to analyze empirically how so...

  16. Use of social media for sexual health promotion: a scoping review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabarron, Elia; Wynn, Rolf

    2016-01-01

    Background In order to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the World Health Organization recommends educating people on sexual health. With more than 2 billion active users worldwide, online social media potentially represent powerful channels for health promotion, including sexual health. Objective To review the scientific literature on the use of online social media for sexual health promotion. Design A search was conducted of scientific and medical databases, and grey literature was also included. The selected publications were classified according to their study designs, sexual health promotion main subject, target audience age, and social media use. Results Fifty-one publications were included; 4 publications presenting randomized intervention studies, 39 non-randomized intervention studies, and 8 observational studies. In 29 publications (56.9%), the main subject of the sexual health promotion was ‘general’ or to increase STI testing. Thirty publications (58.8%) specifically focused on youth or young people (aged 11–29 years). Fourteen publications that used social media either as unique channels for sexual health promotion interventions or as a tool supporting the sexual health promotion reported an effect on behavior (27%), and two of those studies found a reduction in the number of positive chlamydia and gonorrhea cases linked to social media intervention. Forty-four publications (86.3%) involved Facebook in some way. Conclusions Although billions of people worldwide actively use social media, we identified only 51 publications on the use of social media for promoting sexual health. About a quarter of the publications have identified promising results, and the evidence for positive effects of social media interventions for promoting sexual health is increasing. There is a need for more studies that explicitly discuss their theoretical framework, and that have strong research designs, in order to further increase the evidence base of the

  17. Use of social media for sexual health promotion: a scoping review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elia Gabarron

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: In order to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs, the World Health Organization recommends educating people on sexual health. With more than 2 billion active users worldwide, online social media potentially represent powerful channels for health promotion, including sexual health. Objective: To review the scientific literature on the use of online social media for sexual health promotion. Design: A search was conducted of scientific and medical databases, and grey literature was also included. The selected publications were classified according to their study designs, sexual health promotion main subject, target audience age, and social media use. Results: Fifty-one publications were included; 4 publications presenting randomized intervention studies, 39 non-randomized intervention studies, and 8 observational studies. In 29 publications (56.9%, the main subject of the sexual health promotion was ‘general’ or to increase STI testing. Thirty publications (58.8% specifically focused on youth or young people (aged 11–29 years. Fourteen publications that used social media either as unique channels for sexual health promotion interventions or as a tool supporting the sexual health promotion reported an effect on behavior (27%, and two of those studies found a reduction in the number of positive chlamydia and gonorrhea cases linked to social media intervention. Forty-four publications (86.3% involved Facebook in some way. Conclusions: Although billions of people worldwide actively use social media, we identified only 51 publications on the use of social media for promoting sexual health. About a quarter of the publications have identified promising results, and the evidence for positive effects of social media interventions for promoting sexual health is increasing. There is a need for more studies that explicitly discuss their theoretical framework, and that have strong research designs, in order to further increase the

  18. Use of social media for sexual health promotion: a scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabarron, Elia; Wynn, Rolf

    2016-01-01

    In order to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the World Health Organization recommends educating people on sexual health. With more than 2 billion active users worldwide, online social media potentially represent powerful channels for health promotion, including sexual health. To review the scientific literature on the use of online social media for sexual health promotion. A search was conducted of scientific and medical databases, and grey literature was also included. The selected publications were classified according to their study designs, sexual health promotion main subject, target audience age, and social media use. Fifty-one publications were included; 4 publications presenting randomized intervention studies, 39 non-randomized intervention studies, and 8 observational studies. In 29 publications (56.9%), the main subject of the sexual health promotion was 'general' or to increase STI testing. Thirty publications (58.8%) specifically focused on youth or young people (aged 11-29 years). Fourteen publications that used social media either as unique channels for sexual health promotion interventions or as a tool supporting the sexual health promotion reported an effect on behavior (27%), and two of those studies found a reduction in the number of positive chlamydia and gonorrhea cases linked to social media intervention. Forty-four publications (86.3%) involved Facebook in some way. Although billions of people worldwide actively use social media, we identified only 51 publications on the use of social media for promoting sexual health. About a quarter of the publications have identified promising results, and the evidence for positive effects of social media interventions for promoting sexual health is increasing. There is a need for more studies that explicitly discuss their theoretical framework, and that have strong research designs, in order to further increase the evidence base of the field.

  19. Interventions promoting healthy eating as a tool for reducing social inequalities in diet in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayén, Ana-Lucia; de Mestral, Carlos; Zamora, Gerardo; Paccaud, Fred; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Bovet, Pascal; Stringhini, Silvia

    2016-12-22

    Diet is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and is also strongly patterned by socioeconomic factors. Whether interventions promoting healthy eating reduce social inequalities in diet in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains uncertain. This paper aims to summarize current evidence on interventions promoting healthy eating in LMICs, and to establish whether they reduce social inequalities in diet. Systematic review of cross-sectional or quasi-experimental studies (pre- and post-assessment of interventions) in Pubmed, Scielo and Google Scholar databases, including adults in LMICs, assessing at least one outcome of healthy eating and showing results stratified by socioeconomic status. Seven intervention studies including healthy eating promotion, conducted in seven LMICs (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Iran, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Tunisia), met our inclusion criteria. To promote healthy eating, all interventions used nutrition education and three of them combined nutrition education with improved acces to foods or social support. Interventions targeted mostly women and varied widely regarding communication tools and duration of the nutrition education sessions. Most interventions used printed material, media use or face-to-face training and lasted from 6 weeks to 5 years. Four interventions targeted disadvantaged populations, and three targeted the entire population. In three out of four interventions targeting disadvantaged populations, healthy eating outcomes were improved suggesting they were likely to reduce social inequalities in diet. All interventions directed to the entire population showed improved healthy eating outcomes in all social strata, and were considered as having no impact on social inequalities in diet. In LMICs, agentic interventions promoting healthy eating reduced social inequalities in diet when specifically targeting disadvantaged populations. Further research should assess the impact on social inequalities

  20. Effectiveness of health-promoting media literacy education: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergsma, Lynda J; Carney, Mary E

    2008-06-01

    Media literacy education to promote health among youth involves them in a critical examination of media messages that promote risky behaviors and influence their perceptions and practices. Research on its effectiveness is in its infancy. Studies to date have been conducted with more or less rigor and achieved differing results, leaving many questions about effectiveness unanswered. To elucidate some of these questions, we conducted a systematic review of selected health-promoting media literacy education evaluation/research studies, guided by the following research question: What are the context and process elements of an effective health-promoting media literacy education intervention? Based on extensive analysis of 28 interventions, our findings provide a detailed picture of a small, 16- to 17-year (1990 to July 2006) body of important research, including citation information, health issue, target population/N/age, research design, intervention length and setting, concepts/skills taught, who delivered the intervention and ratings of effectiveness. The review provides a framework for organizing research about media literacy education which suggests that researchers should be more explicit about the media literacy core concepts/skills they are including in their interventions, and should more carefully address who delivered the intervention with what fidelity, in what setting, for how long and utilizing what pedagogical approach.

  1. Using social media to enhance career development opportunities for health promotion professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roman, Leah A

    2014-07-01

    For health promotion professionals, social media offers many ways to engage with a broader range of colleagues; participate in professional development events; promote expertise, products, or services; and learn about career-enhancing opportunities such as funding and fellowships. Previous work has recommended "building networking into what you are already doing." This article provides updated and new social media resources, as well as practical examples and strategies to promote effective use of social media. Social media offers health promotion professionals cost-effective opportunities to enhance their career by building communities of practice, participating in professional development events, and enriching classroom learning. Developing the skills necessary to use social media for networking is important in the public health workforce, especially as social media is increasingly used in academic and practice settings. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

  2. Employer and Promoter Perspectives on the Quality of Health Promotion Within the Healthy Workplace Accreditation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tung, Chen-Yin; Yin, Yun-Wen; Liu, Chia-Yun; Chang, Chia-Chen; Zhou, Yi-Ping

    2017-07-01

    To explore the employers' and promoters' perspective of health promotion quality according to the healthy workplace accreditation. We assessed the perspectives of 85 employers and 81 health promoters regarding the quality of health promotion at their workplaces. The method of measurement referenced the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP) quality criteria. In the large workplaces, the accredited corporation employers had a higher impression (P health promoters from different sized workplaces with or without accreditation (P > 0.05). It seems that employers' perspectives of healthy workplace accreditation surpassed employers from non-accredited workplaces. Specifically, large accredited corporations could share their successful experiences to encourage a more involved workplace in small-medium workplaces.

  3. Trial Promoter: A Web-Based Tool for Boosting the Promotion of Clinical Research Through Social Media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reuter, Katja; Ukpolo, Francis; Ward, Edward; Wilson, Melissa L; Angyan, Praveen

    2016-06-29

    Scarce information about clinical research, in particular clinical trials, is among the top reasons why potential participants do not take part in clinical studies. Without volunteers, on the other hand, clinical research and the development of novel approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease are impossible. Promising digital options such as social media have the potential to work alongside traditional methods to boost the promotion of clinical research. However, investigators and research institutions are challenged to leverage these innovations while saving time and resources. To develop and test the efficiency of a Web-based tool that automates the generation and distribution of user-friendly social media messages about clinical trials. Trial Promoter is developed in Ruby on Rails, HTML, cascading style sheet (CSS), and JavaScript. In order to test the tool and the correctness of the generated messages, clinical trials (n=46) were randomized into social media messages and distributed via the microblogging social media platform Twitter and the social network Facebook. The percent correct was calculated to determine the probability with which Trial Promoter generates accurate messages. During a 10-week testing phase, Trial Promoter automatically generated and published 525 user-friendly social media messages on Twitter and Facebook. On average, Trial Promoter correctly used the message templates and substituted the message parameters (text, URLs, and disease hashtags) 97.7% of the time (1563/1600). Trial Promoter may serve as a promising tool to render clinical trial promotion more efficient while requiring limited resources. It supports the distribution of any research or other types of content. The Trial Promoter code and installation instructions are freely available online.

  4. Employing the Mass Media for the Promotion of Human Rights in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The place of the mass media in the promotion of human rights in any given society cannot be overemphasised; the mass media generally, can be used to bring about positive attitudinal change in the individuals. Thus, the paper examines the role of the media in the promotion of human rights in Nigeria; it explores the ...

  5. Promoting a Hand Hygiene Program Using Social Media: An Observational Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Sung-Ching; Sheng, Wang-Huei; Tien, Kuei-Lien; Chien, Kuang-Tse; Chen, Yee-Chun; Chang, Shawn-Chwen

    2016-01-01

    Hand hygiene is an important component in infection control to protect patient safety and reduce health care-associated infection. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of different social media on the promotion of a hand hygiene (HH) program. The observational study was conducted from May 5 to December 31, 2014, at a 2600-bed tertiary care hospital. A 3-minute video of an HH campaign in 8 languages was posted to YouTube. The Chinese version was promoted through three platforms: the hospital website, the hospital group email, and the Facebook site of a well-known Internet illustrator. The video traffic was analyzed via Google Analytics. HH compliance was measured in November 2013 and 2014. There were 5252 views of the video, mainly of the Chinese-language version (3509/5252, 66.81%). The NTUH website had 24,000 subscribers, and 151 of them viewed the video (connection rate was 151/24,000, 0.63%). There were 9967 users of the hospital email group and the connection rate was 0.91% (91/9967). The connection rate was 6.17% (807/13,080) from Facebook, significantly higher than the other 2 venues (both P<.001). HH compliance sustained from 83.7% (473/565) in 2013 to 86.7% (589/679) in 2014 (P=.13) among all HCWs. Facebook had the highest connection rate in the HH video campaign. The use of novel social media such as Facebook should be considered for future programs that promote hand hygiene and other healthy behaviors.

  6. For Fit's Sake: A Norms-Based Approach to Healthy Behaviors Through Influence of Presumed Media Influence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Shirley S; Lee, Edmund W J; Ng, Kaijie; Leong, Grace S H; Tham, Tiffany H M

    2016-09-01

    Based on the influence of presumed media influence (IPMI) model as the theoretical framework, this study examines how injunctive norms and personal norms mediate the influence of healthy lifestyle media messages on public intentions to engage in two types of healthy lifestyle behaviors-physical activity and healthy diet. Nationally representative data collected from 1,055 adults in Singapore demonstrate partial support for the key hypotheses that make up the extended IPMI model, highlighting the importance of a norms-based approach in health communication. Our results indicate that perceived media influence on others indirectly shaped public intentions to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors through personal norms and attitude, providing partial theoretical support for the extended IPMI model. Practical implications for health communicators in designing health campaigns media messages to motivate the public to engage in healthy lifestyle are discussed.

  7. Body image, media, and eating disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derenne, Jennifer L; Beresin, Eugene V

    2006-01-01

    Eating disorders, including obesity, are a major public health problem today. Throughout history, body image has been determined by various factors, including politics and media. Exposure to mass media (television, movies, magazines, Internet) is correlated with obesity and negative body image, which may lead to disordered eating. The authors attempt to explain the historical context of the problem and explore potential avenues for change. The authors review changes in ideal female body type throughout history, comment on current attitudes toward shape and weight in both men and women, and outline interventions aimed at increasing healthy habits and fostering self-esteem in youth. Throughout history, the ideal of beauty has been difficult to achieve and has been shaped by social context. Current mass media is ubiquitous and powerful, leading to increased body dissatisfaction among both men and women. Parents need to limit children's exposure to media, promote healthy eating and moderate physical activity, and encourage participation in activities that increase mastery and self-esteem. Funding for high-quality, visible advertising campaigns promoting healthy life styles may increase awareness.

  8. Exploring how the tobacco industry presents and promotes itself in social media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Yunji; Zheng, Xiaolong; Zeng, Daniel Dajun; Zhou, Xingshe; Leischow, Scott James; Chung, Wingyan

    2015-01-21

    The commercial potential of social media is utilized by tobacco manufacturers and vendors for tobacco promotion online. However, the prevalence and promotional strategies of pro-tobacco content in social media are still not widely understood. The goal of this study was to reveal what is presented by the tobacco industry, and how it promotes itself, on social media sites. The top 70 popular cigarette brands are divided into two groups according to their retail prices: group H (brands with high retail prices) and group L (brands with low retail prices). Three comprehensive searches were conducted on Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube respectively using the top 70 popular cigarette brands as keywords. We identified tobacco-related content including history and culture, product features, health warnings, home page of cigarette brands, and Web-based tobacco shops. Furthermore, we examined the promotional strategies utilized in social media. According to the data collected from March 3, 2014 to March 10, 2014, 43 of the 70 representative cigarette brands had created 238 Facebook fan pages, 46 cigarette brands were identified in Wikipedia, and there were over 120,000 pro-tobacco videos on YouTube, associated with 61 cigarette brands. The main content presented on the three social media websites differs significantly. Wikipedia focuses on history and culture (67%, 32/48; Ppromotional strategies used, sales promotions exist extensively in social media. Sales promotion is more prevalent on YouTube than on the other two sites (64%, 39/61 vs 35%, 15/43; P=.004). Generally, the sale promotions of higher-cost brands in social media are more prevalent than those of lower-cost brands (55%, 16/29 vs 7%, 1/14; Ppromotion in social media.

  9. Utilising the Mass Media for the Promotion of Religious Activities in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Utilising the Mass Media for the Promotion of Religious Activities in Nigeria. ... The media have the ability to communicate religious messages that will enable ... to promote moral attitudes in our people, which will in turn, lead to development in ...

  10. Does sexy media promote teen sex? A meta-analytic and methodological review

    OpenAIRE

    Ferguson, Chris; Nielsen, Rune Kristian Lundedal; Markey, Patrick

    2016-01-01

    Parents and policy makers are often concerned that sexy media (media depicting or discussing sexual encounters) may promote sexual behavior in young viewers. There has been some debate among scholars regarding whether such media promote sexual behaviors. It remains unclear to what extent sexy media is a risk factor for increased sexual behavior among youth. The current study employed a meta-analysis of 22 correlational and longitudinal studies of sexy media effects on teen sexual behavior (n ...

  11. Evaluating Consumer m-Health Services for Promoting Healthy Eating: A Randomized Field Experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato-Lin, Yi-Chin; Padman, Rema; Downs, Julie; Abhishek, Vibhanshu

    2015-01-01

    Mobile apps have great potential to deliver promising interventions to engage consumers and change their health-related behaviors, such as healthy eating. Currently, the interventions for promoting healthy eating are either too onerous to keep consumers engaged or too restrictive to keep consumers connected with healthcare professionals. In addition, while social media allows individuals to receive information from many sources, it is unclear how peer support interacts with professional support in the context of such interventions. This study proposes and evaluates three mobile-enabled interventions to address these challenges. We examine their effects on user engagement and food choices via a 4-month randomized field experiment. Mixed models provide strong evidence of the positive effect of image-based dietitian support and negative effects of peer support, and moderate evidence of the positive effects of mobile-based visual diary, highlighting the value of mobile apps for delivering advanced interventions to engage users and facilitate behavior change.

  12. Promoting Healthy Aging in Adults with Developmental Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heller, Tamar; Sorensen, Amy

    2013-01-01

    This article reviews the research on health promotion for adults aging with developmental disabilities. First, it examines barriers to healthy aging, including health behaviors and access to health screenings and services. Second, it reviews the research on health promotion interventions, including physical activity interventions, health education…

  13. Media coverage of off-label promotion: a content analysis of US newspapers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Avani D; Patel, Dipen A; Holdford, David A

    2011-09-01

    Promotion of drugs for off-label use is newsworthy, because it is an illegal but all too common strategy used by pharmaceutical companies. The print media are an important source of information about coverage of off-label promotion of drugs and devices and can influence public perceptions of the practice. Print media coverage of off-label promotion during the years 1990-2008 were described and quantified. The primary themes and general tones relating to off-label promotion articles were evaluated. General concerns associated with off-label promotion and complaints about specific brand name drugs were also identified. Content analyses of the top 6 US newspapers were conducted over the period of 1990-2008 to analyze the media coverage given to off-label promotion of drugs and devices. Headlines and full text of articles were analyzed for primary themes and tones of the coverage. Intercoder reliability tests were performed on all the study variables. One hundred and one articles were identified meeting the study inclusion criteria. Coverage varied by newspaper. The Wall Street Journal had the most coverage on the topic (45%), and USA Today and Chicago Tribune had the least coverage (5%). Overall, most of the stories sampled were deemed to have a negative tone in coverage (77%), focusing mainly on lawsuits against drug companies for promoting their drugs for off-label uses. Pfizer's Neurontin(®) (Pfizer Inc., New York, NY 10017, USA) and Johnson & Johnson's Retin-A(®) (Orthoneutrogena, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA) received the most media attention. The news media helps shape public understanding of promotional practices of pharmaceutical companies and their potential benefits and harms. This study suggests that print media coverage is generally negative about off-label promotion, focusing on legal actions taken against drug companies and the negative consequences of such promotional practices. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Social Media as a Tool to Promote Health Awareness: Results from an Online Cervical Cancer Prevention Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyson, Helena C; Le, Gem M; Zhang, Jingwen; Rivadeneira, Natalie; Lyles, Courtney; Radcliffe, Kate; Pasick, Rena J; Sawaya, George; Sarkar, Urmimala; Centola, Damon

    2018-06-11

    Online social media platforms represent a promising opportunity for public health promotion. Research is limited, however, on the effectiveness of social media at improving knowledge and awareness of health topics and motivating healthy behavior change. Therefore, we investigated whether participation in an online social media platform and receipt of brief, tailored messages is effective at increasing knowledge, awareness, and prevention behaviors related to human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer. We conducted an online study in which 782 recruited participants were consecutively assigned to nine-person groups on a social media platform. Participants were shown a unique random set of 20 tailored messages per day over five days. Participants completed a baseline and post survey to assess their knowledge, awareness, and prevention behaviors related to HPV and cervical cancer. There were no statistically significant changes in knowledge and prevention behaviors from the baseline to the post survey among study participants. There was a modest, statistically significant change in response to whether participants had ever heard of HPV, increasing from 90 to 94% (p = 0.003). Our findings suggest that most study participants had substantial knowledge, awareness, and engagement in positive behaviors related to cervical cancer prevention at the start of the study. Nevertheless, we found that HPV awareness can be increased through brief participation in an online social media platform and receipt of tailored health messages. Further investigation that explores how social media can be used to improve knowledge and adoption of healthy behaviors related to cervical cancer is warranted.

  15. Healthy Aging Promotion through Neuroscientific Information-Based Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seinfeld, Sofia; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V

    2015-09-28

    To ensure the well-being of a rapidly growing elderly population, it is fundamental to find strategies to foster healthy brain aging. With this intention, we designed a program of scientific-based lectures aimed at dissemination by established neuroscientists about brain function, brain plasticity and how lifestyle influences the brain. We also carried out a pilot study on the impact of the lectures on attendees. The objective was to provide information to elderly people in order to encourage them to identify unhealthy and healthy daily habits, and more importantly, to promote behavioral changes towards healthy brain aging. Here we report on our experience. In order to determine the impact of the lectures in the daily routine of the attendees, we asked them to fill out questionnaires. Preliminary results indicate that neuroscientific information-based strategies can be a useful method to have a positive impact on the lives of elderly, increase their awareness on how to improve brain function and promote positive lifestyle modifications. Furthermore, based on self-reported data, we also found that through this strategy it is possible to promote behavioral changes related to nutrition, sleep, and realization of physical and cognitively stimulating activities. Finally, based on the results obtained, the importance of promoting self-efficacy and the empowerment of the older populations is highlighted.

  16. Healthy Aging Promotion through Neuroscientific Information-Based Strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sofia Seinfeld

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available To ensure the well-being of a rapidly growing elderly population, it is fundamental to find strategies to foster healthy brain aging. With this intention, we designed a program of scientific-based lectures aimed at dissemination by established neuroscientists about brain function, brain plasticity and how lifestyle influences the brain. We also carried out a pilot study on the impact of the lectures on attendees. The objective was to provide information to elderly people in order to encourage them to identify unhealthy and healthy daily habits, and more importantly, to promote behavioral changes towards healthy brain aging. Here we report on our experience. In order to determine the impact of the lectures in the daily routine of the attendees, we asked them to fill out questionnaires. Preliminary results indicate that neuroscientific information-based strategies can be a useful method to have a positive impact on the lives of elderly, increase their awareness on how to improve brain function and promote positive lifestyle modifications. Furthermore, based on self-reported data, we also found that through this strategy it is possible to promote behavioral changes related to nutrition, sleep, and realization of physical and cognitively stimulating activities. Finally, based on the results obtained, the importance of promoting self-efficacy and the empowerment of the older populations is highlighted.

  17. Social media marketing as a tool of enterprise’s product promotion

    OpenAIRE

    O.F. Gryshсhenko; A.D. Niesheva

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this article. The aim of this article is to analyze the connection and relation between social media marketing and enterprise’s products promotion, to show the importance of using social media in marketing and the role of marketers in this process. The results of the analysis. This article is based on the investigation of specialized literature regarding new promotional techniques used at the global market nowadays. Authors analyze the definition to the social media marketing...

  18. Swedish nurses encounter barriers when promoting healthy habits in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ljungkrona-Falk, Lena; Brekke, Hilde; Nyholm, Maria

    2014-12-01

    To increase the understanding of difficulties in promoting healthy habits to parents, we explore barriers in health-care provision. The aim of this study is to describe nurses' perceived barriers when discussing with parents regarding healthy food habits, physical activity and their child's body weight. A mixed method approach was chosen. Nurses (n = 76) working at 29 different Child Health Care Centers' in an area in west Sweden were included in the study. Three focus group interviews were conducted and 17 nurses were selected according to maximum variation. Data were categorized and qualitative content analysis was the chosen analysis method. In the second method, data were obtained from a questionnaire distributed to all 76 nurses. The latent content was formulated into a theme: even with encouragement and support, the nurses perceive barriers of both an external and internal nature. The results identified four main barriers: experienced barriers in the workplace-internal and external; the nurse's own fear and uncertainty; perceived obstacles in nurse-parent interactions and modern society impedes parents' ability to promote healthy habits. The nurses' perceived barriers were confirmed by the results from 62 of the nurses who completed the questionnaire. Despite education and professional support, the health professionals perceived both external and internal barriers in promoting healthy habits to parents when implementing a new method of health promotion in primary care. Further qualitative studies are needed to gain deeper understanding of the perceived barriers when promoting healthy habits to parents. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Employer and Promoter Perspectives on the Quality of Health Promotion Within the Healthy Workplace Accreditation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tung, Chen-Yin; Yin, Yun-Wen; Liu, Chia-Yun; Chang, Chia-Chen; Zhou, Yi-Ping

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To explore the employers’ and promoters’ perspective of health promotion quality according to the healthy workplace accreditation. Methods: We assessed the perspectives of 85 employers and 81 health promoters regarding the quality of health promotion at their workplaces. The method of measurement referenced the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP) quality criteria. Results: In the large workplaces, the accredited corporation employers had a higher impression (P workplace employers had a slightly higher perspective than non-accredited ones. Nevertheless, there were no differences between the perspectives of health promoters from different sized workplaces with or without accreditation (P > 0.05). Conclusions: It seems that employers’ perspectives of healthy workplace accreditation surpassed employers from non-accredited workplaces. Specifically, large accredited corporations could share their successful experiences to encourage a more involved workplace in small–medium workplaces. PMID:28691998

  20. Healthy Universities: Mapping Health-Promotion Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarmiento, Juan Pablo

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to map out and characterize existing health-promotion initiatives at Florida International University (FIU) in the USA in order to inform decision makers involved in the development of a comprehensive and a long-term healthy university strategy. Design/methodology/approach: This study encompasses a narrative…

  1. An Assessment of the Mass Media as Tools for Promoting Girl-Child ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paper appraises the role of the media in the promotion of girl-child education in ... Local Government Areas and that the media, which are the agents of social ... to pay serious attention to campaigns that will promote girl-child education.

  2. Travel Health Advisory Group: a joint travel industry and travel health Special Interest Group promoting healthy travel in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leggat, Peter A; Zwar, Nicholas; Hudson, Bernie

    2012-09-01

    The Travel Health Advisory Group (THAG), established in 1997, is a joint initiative between the travel industry and travel health professionals in Australia that aims to promote healthy travel. THAG seeks to promote cooperation in improving the health of travellers between the travel industry and travel medicine professionals and to raise public awareness of the importance of travel health. From 2011, THAG has been a Special Interest Group of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine and its membership has been active in several areas, including web-based travel health information, travel health promotion, media releases, research and education in Australia. Information is given on the objectives, membership and an overview of the various activities of the group. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The utilization of social networking as promotion media (Case study: Handicraft business in Palembang)

    OpenAIRE

    Rahadi, Dedi Rianto; Abdillah, Leon Andretti

    2013-01-01

    Nowadays social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), not only simply as communication media, but also for promotion. Social networking media offers many business benefits for companies and organizations. Research purposes is to determine the model of social network media utilization as a promotional media for handicraft business in Palembang city. Qualitative and quantitative research design are used to know how handicraft business in Palembang city utilizing social media networking as a promotio...

  4. Indoor tanning promotions on social media in six US cities #UVTanning #tanning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricklefs, Christine A; Asdigian, Nancy L; Kalra, Heidi L; Mayer, Joni A; Dellavalle, Robert P; Holman, Dawn M; Crane, Lori A

    2016-06-01

    There is no research investigating indoor tanning advertising on social media. We assessed the use of social media to promote indoor tanning. We subscribed to social media platforms in six US cities and content-analyzed promotional messages received. We captured 662 messages on Twitter and Facebook, through salon emails, and in daily deal coupons. Salon postings were most frequent on Twitter and Facebook, with an average of 2-3 postings per week. National chains posted more frequently than local businesses. Forty percent of messages were devoid of tanning content and included photos, jokes, or popular references. Thirty percent mentioned price reductions, and 28 % referenced an upcoming holiday. Sunless tanning (17 %) was promoted more often than ultraviolet tanning (9 %). Tanning salons actively use social media as a strategy for maintaining relationships with customers and offer pricing deals that promote loyalty and high-frequency tanning.

  5. PARTICULARS OF PROMOTING IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristian, MOROZAN

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The classical promotional media, especially the television, have been often criticized for the contradictory effects that they have on the consumers. Compared to those, the Internet and social networks that support them represent an interactive environment, because consumers have more time and space to evaluate the products compared with the traditional seconds or tens of seconds of the TV spots or the few printed lines in newspapers. The promotion on the web and social media have an important role in consumers' informing, by providing the data they need for the purchasing decision, by providing feedback from others etc. For example, in the discussion groups and social networking sites, such products/services and software news are discussed and carefully evaluated by a permanent feedback from users, their responses being made posted on the internet.

  6. Marketing to Youth in the Digital Age: The Promotion of Unhealthy Products and Health Promoting Behaviours on Social Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sally Dunlop

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The near-ubiquitous use of social media among adolescents and young adults creates opportunities for both corporate brands and health promotion agencies to target and engage with young audiences in unprecedented ways. Traditional media is known to have both a positive and negative influence on youth health behaviours, but the impact of social media is less well understood. This paper first summarises current evidence around adolescents’ exposure to the promotion and marketing of unhealthy products such as energy dense and nutrient poor food and beverages, alcohol, and tobacco on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. We explore emerging evidence about the extent of exposure to marketing of these harmful products through social media platforms and potential impacts of exposure on adolescent health. Secondly, we present examples of health-promoting social media campaigns aimed at youth, with the purpose of describing innovative campaigns and highlighting lessons learned for creating effective social media interventions. Finally, we suggest implications for policy and practice, and identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for future research.

  7. Promoting media and information literacy in libraries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huysmans, F.; Franke, M.

    2016-01-01

    Librarians and (public) libraries are active in promoting information literacy and (more recently) media literacy. After a brief historical sketch, this document describes how public libraries assist patrons and educational institutions in enhancing knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to

  8. Technology-based intervention for healthy lifestyle promotion in Italian adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraticelli, Federica; Marchetti, Daniela; Polcini, Francesco; Mohn, Angelika Anna; Chiarelli, Francesco; Fulcheri, Mario; Vitacolonna, Ester

    2016-01-01

    Healthy lifestyle promotion programs are essential to prevent metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Adolescents could represent the ideal target population especially using serious web games. To test the improvement of knowledge about healthy nutrition in adolescents and to analyze participants' enjoyment in playing the web game "Gustavo in Gnam's Planet" in comparison with a leisure web game. Sixty-five adolescents were engaged in three supervised group sessions. Measures about healthy food knowledge and games' enjoyment were collected during the three stages of assessment. After playing Gustavo in Gnam's Planet, participants significantly improved their knowledge on a healthy diet, compared to the recreational web games; whereas the level of fun experienced while playing the recreational and the educational games was not significantly different. Gustavo in Gnam's Planet is an important promising tool, with entertainment property, to promote a healthy lifestyle in Italian adolescents.

  9. Customer response to media in marketing promotion: print versus online

    OpenAIRE

    Ieva, Marco

    2016-01-01

    Il lavoro di tesi, che si compone di tre articoli di ricerca, analizza, nel contesto della marketing promotion, la risposta del consumatore ai media in termini di ricordo, intenzione di acquisto, comportamento di acquisto e preferenza per il medium. Il lavoro, in particolare, mette a confronto due tipologie di media, carta e online, nell’ambito della price e loyalty promotion, utilizzando due disegni di ricerca sperimentali ed uno correlazionale. I risultati del lavoro mostrano che la rispost...

  10. Examining opportunities for promotion of healthy eating at children's sports clubs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Bridget; Baur, Louise A; Bauman, Adrian E; King, Lesley; Chapman, Kathy; Smith, Ben J

    2010-12-01

    Australian data indicate that 63% of children participated in sport in 2009, a 4% increase since 2000. Children's high participation in sport, and the association between sport and health, means that these settings provide an opportunity to promote other aspects of health, such as healthy eating, to children. This study aimed to determine healthy eating practices and policies at children's sports clubs. Sports clubs (n=108) for the nine most popular sports for children aged 5 to 14 were randomly sampled from three large geographical areas across one state and one territory in Australia. A purpose-designed telephone questionnaire for sports club officials was developed to determine the food and beverages sold, provided and promoted at sports clubs and the availability of healthy-eating policies. The most frequently sold item at canteens was water, followed by sports drinks, chocolate/confectionery and soft drink. Only 20% of canteens promoted healthy food. Thirty-nine per cent of clubs made recommendations on the food and beverages to be consumed during sport, mostly relating to water consumption. The majority (76%) engaged in fundraising; many in collaboration with chocolate/confectionery companies. Only three clubs had a written policy on healthy eating. Addressing the low uptake of healthy eating policies would be a useful strategy to improve the healthiness of sports clubs. Policies could seek to reduce the availability and promotion of unhealthy food and beverages through canteens, vending machines and fundraising. © 2010 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2010 Public Health Association of Australia.

  11. Community Nurses' Experiences Regarding the Meaning and Promotion of Healthy Aging in Northeastern Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manasatchakun, Pornpun; Choowattanapakorn, Tassana; Roxberg, Åsa; Asp, Margareta

    2018-03-01

    Describe community nurses' experiences regarding the meaning and promotion of healthy aging in northeastern Thailand. Data were collected through five focus group interviews with 36 community nurses in northeastern Thailand. Latent content analysis was conducted to analyze the data. Healthy aging was characterized by the interconnection of older persons, older persons' family members, and the community. Healthy aging was associated with two themes: "being strong" and "being a supporter and feeling supported." The nurses' experiences in promoting healthy aging were described by the themes "providing health assessment," "sharing knowledge," and "having limited resources." The findings of this study provide a deeper understanding of the meaning of healthy aging from a holistic viewpoint. Community nurses must pay attention to older persons and their surroundings when planning how to promote healthy aging. Person-centeredness should be applied in practice to promote healthy aging. The current findings contribute useful information that should help policy makers develop healthy aging strategies in Thailand.

  12. Social media and mobile apps for health promotion in Australian Indigenous populations: scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brusse, Carl; Gardner, Karen; McAullay, Daniel; Dowden, Michelle

    2014-12-10

    Health promotion organizations are increasingly embracing social media technologies to engage end users in a more interactive way and to widely disseminate their messages with the aim of improving health outcomes. However, such technologies are still in their early stages of development and, thus, evidence of their efficacy is limited. The study aimed to provide a current overview of the evidence surrounding consumer-use social media and mobile software apps for health promotion interventions, with a particular focus on the Australian context and on health promotion targeted toward an Indigenous audience. Specifically, our research questions were: (1) What is the peer-reviewed evidence of benefit for social media and mobile technologies used in health promotion, intervention, self-management, and health service delivery, with regard to smoking cessation, sexual health, and otitis media? and (2) What social media and mobile software have been used in Indigenous-focused health promotion interventions in Australia with respect to smoking cessation, sexual health, or otitis media, and what is the evidence of their effectiveness and benefit? We conducted a scoping study of peer-reviewed evidence for the effectiveness of social media and mobile technologies in health promotion (globally) with respect to smoking cessation, sexual health, and otitis media. A scoping review was also conducted for Australian uses of social media to reach Indigenous Australians and mobile apps produced by Australian health bodies, again with respect to these three areas. The review identified 17 intervention studies and seven systematic reviews that met inclusion criteria, which showed limited evidence of benefit from these interventions. We also found five Australian projects with significant social media health components targeting the Indigenous Australian population for health promotion purposes, and four mobile software apps that met inclusion criteria. No evidence of benefit was found

  13. Marketing to Youth in the Digital Age: the Promotion of Unhealthy Products and Health Promoting Behaviours on Social Media

    OpenAIRE

    Dunlop, Sally; Freeman, Becky; Jones, Sandra C.

    2016-01-01

    The near-ubiquitous use of social media among adolescents and young adults creates opportunities for both corporate brands and health promotion agencies to target and engage with young audiences in unprecedented ways. Traditional media is known to have both a positive and negative influence on youth health behaviours, but the impact of social media is less well understood. This paper first summarises current evidence around adolescents’ exposure to the promotion and marketing of unhealthy ...

  14. Does sexy media promote teen sex? A meta-analytic and methodological review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ferguson, Chris; Nielsen, Rune Kristian Lundedal; Markey, Patrick

    2016-01-01

    Parents and policy makers are often concerned that sexy media (media depicting or discussing sexual encounters) may promote sexual behavior in young viewers. There has been some debate among scholars regarding whether such media promote sexual behaviors. It remains unclear to what extent sexy media...... is a risk factor for increased sexual behavior among youth. The current study employed a meta-analysis of 22 correlational and longitudinal studies of sexy media effects on teen sexual behavior (n = 22,172). Moderator analyses examined methodological and science culture issues such as citation bias. Results...... indicated the presence only of very weak effects. General media use did not correlate with sexual behaviors (r = 0.005), and sexy media use correlated only weakly with sexual behaviors (r = 0.082) once other factors had been controlled. Higher effects were seen for studies with citation bias, and lower...

  15. Targeted mass media interventions promoting healthy behaviours to reduce risk of non-communicable diseases in adult, ethnic minorities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosdøl, Annhild; Lidal, Ingeborg B; Straumann, Gyri H; Vist, Gunn E

    2017-02-17

    Physical activity, a balanced diet, avoidance of tobacco exposure, and limited alcohol consumption may reduce morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Mass media interventions are commonly used to encourage healthier behaviours in population groups. It is unclear whether targeted mass media interventions for ethnic minority groups are more or less effective in changing behaviours than those developed for the general population. To determine the effects of mass media interventions targeting adult ethnic minorities with messages about physical activity, dietary patterns, tobacco use or alcohol consumption to reduce the risk of NCDs. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, SweMed+, and ISI Web of Science until August 2016. We also searched for grey literature in OpenGrey, Grey Literature Report, Eldis, and two relevant websites until October 2016. The searches were not restricted by language. We searched for individual and cluster-randomised controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies (CBA) and interrupted time series studies (ITS). Relevant interventions promoted healthier behaviours related to physical activity, dietary patterns, tobacco use or alcohol consumption; were disseminated via mass media channels; and targeted ethnic minority groups. The population of interest comprised adults (≥ 18 years) from ethnic minority groups in the focal countries. Primary outcomes included indicators of behavioural change, self-reported behavioural change and knowledge and attitudes towards change. Secondary outcomes were the use of health promotion services and costs related to the project. Two authors independently reviewed the references to identify studies for inclusion. We extracted data and assessed the risk of bias in all included studies. We did not pool the results due to heterogeneity in comparisons made, outcomes, and study designs. We describe the results narratively and present them in 'Summary of findings

  16. Prosocial effects of media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, Marjorie J

    2012-06-01

    Parents, teachers, health care providers, and other caring adults worry about the harmful influence of media messages and images on children and teens and wonder how to recognize and encourage positive and healthy use of media. For decades, experts have commented on the power of media. Media depictions can lead to negative attitudes and behavior in some young viewers. This article discusses whether prosocial, tolerant, and cooperative attitudes and behavior can be learned and imitated by children and adolescents and whether media can nurture or stimulate creativity or actively promote health and well-being in young consumers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. The promotion of oral health within the Healthy School context in England: a qualitative research study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harris Rebecca V

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Healthy Schools programmes may assist schools in improving the oral health of children through advocating a common risk factor approach to health promotion and by more explicit consideration of oral health. The objectives of this study were to gain a broad contextual understanding of issues around the delivery of oral health promotion as part of Healthy Schools programmes and to investigate the barriers and drivers to the incorporation of oral health promoting activities in schools taking this holistic approach to health promotion. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were carried out with coordinators of Healthy Schools programmes in the Northwest of England. Interview transcripts were coded using a framework derived from themes in the interview schedule. Results All 22 Healthy Schools coordinators participated and all reported some engagement of their Healthy Schools scheme with oral health promotion. The degree of this engagement depended on factors such as historical patterns of working, partnerships, resources and priorities. Primary schools were reported to have engaged more fully with both Healthy Schools programmes and aspects of oral health promotion than secondary schools. Participants identified healthy eating interventions as the most appropriate means to promote oral health in schools. Partners with expertise in oral health were key in supporting Healthy Schools programmes to promote oral health. Conclusion Healthy Schools programmes are supporting the promotion of oral health although the extent to which this is happening is variable. Structures should be put in place to ensure that the engagement of Healthy Schools with oral health is fully supported.

  18. Promoting healthy computer use among middle school students: a pilot school-based health promotion program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciccarelli, Marina; Portsmouth, Linda; Harris, Courtenay; Jacobs, Karen

    2012-01-01

    Introduction of notebook computers in many schools has become integral to learning. This has increased students' screen-based exposure and the potential risks to physical and visual health. Unhealthy computing behaviours include frequent and long durations of exposure; awkward postures due to inappropriate furniture and workstation layout, and ignoring computer-related discomfort. Describe the framework for a planned school-based health promotion program to encourage healthy computing behaviours among middle school students. This planned program uses a community- based participatory research approach. Students in Year 7 in 2011 at a co-educational middle school, their parents, and teachers have been recruited. Baseline data was collected on students' knowledge of computer ergonomics, current notebook exposure, and attitudes towards healthy computing behaviours; and teachers' and self-perceived competence to promote healthy notebook use among students, and what education they wanted. The health promotion program is being developed by an inter-professional team in collaboration with students, teachers and parents to embed concepts of ergonomics education in relevant school activities and school culture. End of year changes in reported and observed student computing behaviours will be used to determine the effectiveness of the program. Building a body of evidence regarding physical health benefits to students from this school-based ergonomics program can guide policy development on the healthy use of computers within children's educational environments.

  19. Does Sexy Media Promote Teen Sex? A Meta-Analytic and Methodological Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, Christopher J; Nielsen, Rune K L; Markey, Patrick M

    2017-06-01

    Parents and policy makers are often concerned that sexy media (media depicting or discussing sexual encounters) may promote sexual behavior in young viewers. There has been some debate among scholars regarding whether such media promote sexual behaviors. It remains unclear to what extent sexy media is a risk factor for increased sexual behavior among youth. The current study employed a meta-analysis of 22 correlational and longitudinal studies of sexy media effects on teen sexual behavior (n = 22,172). Moderator analyses examined methodological and science culture issues such as citation bias. Results indicated the presence only of very weak effects. General media use did not correlate with sexual behaviors (r = 0.005), and sexy media use correlated only weakly with sexual behaviors (r = 0.082) once other factors had been controlled. Higher effects were seen for studies with citation bias, and lower effects when family environment is controlled. The impact of media on teen sexuality was minimal with effect sizes near to zero.

  20. Supermarket Healthy Eating for Life (SHELf: protocol of a randomised controlled trial promoting healthy food and beverage consumption through price reduction and skill-building strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Le Ha ND

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the context of rising food prices, there is a need for evidence on the most effective approaches for promoting healthy eating. Individually-targeted behavioural interventions for increasing food-related skills show promise, but are unlikely to be effective in the absence of structural supports. Fiscal policies have been advocated as a means of promoting healthy eating and reducing obesity and nutrition-related disease, but there is little empirical evidence of their effectiveness. This paper describes the Supermarket Healthy Eating for LiFe (SHELf study, a randomised controlled trial to investigate effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a tailored skill-building intervention and a price reduction intervention, separately and in combination, against a control condition for promoting purchase and consumption of healthy foods and beverages in women from high and low socioeconomic groups. Methods/design SHELf comprises a randomised controlled trial design, with participants randomised to receive either (1 a skill-building intervention; (2 price reductions on fruits, vegetables and low-joule soft drink beverages and water; (3 a combination of skill-building and price reductions; or (4 a control condition. Five hundred women from high and low socioeconomic areas will be recruited through a store loyalty card program and local media. Randomisation will occur on receipt of informed consent and baseline questionnaire. An economic evaluation from a societal perspective using a cost-consequences approach will compare the costs and outcomes between intervention and control groups. Discussion This study will build on a pivotal partnership with a major national supermarket chain and the Heart Foundation to investigate the effectiveness of intervention strategies aimed at increasing women's purchasing and consumption of fruits and vegetables and decreased purchasing and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. It will be among the

  1. Healthy Schools Promotion: An Experience in Thailand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erawan, Prawit

    2005-01-01

    The promotion of health education in schools has been operated continuously in Thailand with expecting to enhance a healthy society based on the definition of health under the new trend "A comprehensive and integrated health and social dimensions of body, mind and soul into a lifestyle linked and interrelated the human relationship with a…

  2. Promoting sustainable consumption and healthy eating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    He, Chen

    and food cultures. The questionnaire researched the attitude, policies and serving practices regarding promoting organic foods and healthy eating habits through school food service and classroom activities. The data illustrated that schools with organic supply or policies children tend to behave healthier......The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is currently increasing as trend of globalization. Schools as a setting may play a crucial role in preventing children from becoming obese and overweight, through providing healthy school foods and curricular activities. The current study aims...... to investigate the effectiveness of organic food intervention in school meals and nutritional curricular activities results in healthier eating behaviours among children. The research was conducted among school food coordinators (school staff in charge of the school food service) in the public primary...

  3. Management Matters. Display and Promotion Ideas for Library Media Centers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pappas, Marjorie L.

    2005-01-01

    School library media centers should be warm and inviting places where the environment entices children to read and explore. Creative bulletin board and case displays along with other exhibits help to make the library media center an exciting place. Bulletin board displays that promote authors, books, and exciting ideas motivate children to find…

  4. Use of social media in health promotion: purposes, key performance indicators, and evaluation metrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neiger, Brad L; Thackeray, Rosemary; Van Wagenen, Sarah A; Hanson, Carl L; West, Joshua H; Barnes, Michael D; Fagen, Michael C

    2012-03-01

    Despite the expanding use of social media, little has been published about its appropriate role in health promotion, and even less has been written about evaluation. The purpose of this article is threefold: (a) outline purposes for social media in health promotion, (b) identify potential key performance indicators associated with these purposes, and (c) propose evaluation metrics for social media related to the key performance indicators. Process evaluation is presented in this article as an overarching evaluation strategy for social media.

  5. Healthy bodegas: increasing and promoting healthy foods at corner stores in New York City.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dannefer, Rachel; Williams, Donya A; Baronberg, Sabrina; Silver, Lynn

    2012-10-01

    We assessed the effectiveness of an initiative to increase the stock and promotion of healthy foods in 55 corner stores in underserved neighborhoods. We evaluated the intervention through in-store observations and preintervention and postintervention surveys of all 55 store owners as well as surveys with customers at a subset of stores. We observed an average of 4 changes on a 15-point criteria scale. The most common were placing refrigerated water at eye level, stocking canned fruit with no sugar added, offering a healthy sandwich, and identifying healthier items. Forty-six (84%) store owners completed both surveys. Owners reported increased sales of healthier items, but identified barriers including consumer demand and lack of space and refrigeration. The percentage of customers surveyed who purchased items for which we promoted a healthier option (low-sodium canned goods, low-fat milk, whole-grain bread, healthier snacks and sandwiches) increased from 5% to 16%. Corner stores are important vehicles for access to healthy foods. The approach described here achieved improvements in participating corner stores and in some consumer purchases and may be a useful model for other locales.

  6. Considering the Future of Pharmaceutical Promotions in Social Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpentier, Francesca Renee Dillman

    2016-01-01

    This commentary explores the implications of increased social media marketing by drug manufacturers, based on findings in Hyosun Kim’s article of the major themes in recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letters and notices of violation regarding online direct-to-consumer promotions of pharmaceuticals. Kim’s rigorous analysis of FDA letters over a 10-year span highlights a relative abundance of regulatory action toward marketer-controlled websites and sponsored advertisements, compared to branded and unbranded social media messaging. However, social media marketing efforts are increasing, as is FDA attention to these efforts. This commentary explores recent developments and continuing challenges in the FDA’s attempts to provide guidance and define pharmaceutical company accountability in marketer-controlled and -uncontrolled claims disseminated through social media. PMID:27239874

  7. Social Media for the Promotion of Holistic Self-Participatory Care: An Evidence Based Approach. Contribution of the IMIA Social Media Working Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miron-Shatz, T; Hansen, M M; Grajales, F J; Martin-Sanchez, F; Bamidis, P D

    2013-01-01

    As health information is becoming increasingly accessible, social media offers ample opportunities to track, be informed, share and promote health. These authors explore how social media and holistic care may work together; more specifically however, our objective is to document, from different perspectives, how social networks have impacted, supported and helped sustain holistic self-participatory care. A literature review was performed to investigate the use of social media for promoting health in general and complementary alternative care. We also explore a case study of an intervention for improving the health of Greek senior citizens through digital and other means. The Health Belief Model provides a framework for assessing the benefits of social media interventions in promoting comprehensive participatory self-care. Some interventions are particularly effective when integrating social media with real-world encounters. Yet not all social media tools are evidence-based and efficacious. Interestingly, social media is also used to elicit patient ratings of treatments (e.g., for depression), often demonstrating the effectiveness of complementary treatments, such as yoga and mindfulness meditation. To facilitate the use of social media for the promotion of complementary alternative medicine through self-quantification, social connectedness and sharing of experiences, exploration of concrete and abstract ideas are presented here within. The main mechanisms by which social support may help improve health - emotional support, an ability to share experiences, and non-hierarchal roles, emphasizing reciprocity in giving and receiving support - are integral to social media and provide great hope for its effective use.

  8. Click to "like" organ donation: the use of online media to promote organ donor registration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefanone, Michael; Anker, Ashley E; Evans, Melanie; Feeley, Thomas Hugh

    2012-06-01

    Efforts to promote organ donation have traditionally relied on mass-mediated or interpersonal communication to promote donor registration. Despite its popularity, the use of online media has yet to be carefully evaluated as a platform to promote organ donation. To describe results of an intervention to promote donor registration that relies solely on online media to communicate to target audiences. For 3 years, 6 campaigns were implemented in 3 different online media formats. Online media formats included (1) traditional online advertising, (2) student seeders' social networking sites campaigns, and (3) challenge campaigns. Online media campaigns primarily targeted college-aged individuals.Intervention-Each campaign directed individuals to the dedicated project website, where they could access educational material about donation and request a donor registration card. Unique website visitors, webpages viewed per site visit, time spent on site, and organ donor cards requested/received were tracked in relation to each online media format. Traditional online advertising offered greater message exposure but failed to result in a higher proportion of website visitors who registered their donation intentions. Use of student seeders (ie, motivated students who promote donation by using social networking sites) and challenge campaigns resulted in greater attention to the project website, donor card requests, and subsequent returns. Additional research is recommended to reveal the effect of combining 2 or more varying online media formats within a single campaign.

  9. A Social Media Peer Group Intervention for Mothers to Prevent Obesity and Promote Healthy Growth from Infancy: Development and Pilot Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruver, Rachel S; Bishop-Gilyard, Chanelle T; Lieberman, Alexandra; Gerdes, Marsha; Virudachalam, Senbagam; Suh, Andrew W; Kalra, Gurpreet K; Magge, Sheela N; Shults, Justine; Schreiner, Mark S; Power, Thomas J; Berkowitz, Robert I; Fiks, Alexander G

    2016-08-02

    Evidence increasingly indicates that childhood obesity prevention efforts should begin as early as infancy. However, few interventions meet the needs of families whose infants are at increased obesity risk due to factors including income and maternal body mass index (BMI). Social media peer groups may offer a promising new way to provide these families with the knowledge, strategies, and support they need to adopt obesity prevention behaviors. The aim of this study is to develop and pilot test a Facebook-based peer group intervention for mothers, designed to prevent pediatric obesity and promote health beginning in infancy. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 29 mothers of infants and focus groups with 30 pediatric clinicians, to inform the development of a theory-based intervention. We then conducted a single-group pilot trial with 8 mothers to assess its feasibility and acceptability. All participants were recruited offline at pediatric primary care practices. Participants in the pilot trial joined a private Facebook group, moderated by a psychologist, with a weekly video-based curriculum, and also had the option to meet at a face-to-face event. Within the Facebook group, mothers were encouraged to chat, ask questions, and share photos and videos of themselves and babies practicing healthy behaviors. Consistent with the literature on obesity prevention, the curriculum addressed infant feeding, sleep, activity, and maternal well-being. Feasibility was assessed using the frequency and content of group participation by mothers, and acceptability was measured using online surveys and phone interviews. Based on preferences of mothers interviewed (mean BMI 35 kg/m(2), all Medicaid-insured, mean age 27, all Black), we designed the intervention to include frequent posts with new information, videos showing parents of infants demonstrating healthy behaviors, and an optional face-to-face meeting. We developed a privacy and safety plan that met the needs

  10. The effectiveness of e-& mHealth interventions to promote physical activity and healthy diets in developing countries: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Andre Matthias; Alley, Stephanie; Schoeppe, Stephanie; Vandelanotte, Corneel

    2016-10-10

    Promoting physical activity and healthy eating is important to combat the unprecedented rise in NCDs in many developing countries. Using modern information-and communication technologies to deliver physical activity and diet interventions is particularly promising considering the increased proliferation of such technologies in many developing countries. The objective of this systematic review is to investigate the effectiveness of e-& mHealth interventions to promote physical activity and healthy diets in developing countries. Major databases and grey literature sources were searched to retrieve studies that quantitatively examined the effectiveness of e-& mHealth interventions on physical activity and diet outcomes in developing countries. Additional studies were retrieved through citation alerts and scientific social media allowing study inclusion until August 2016. The CONSORT checklist was used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. A total of 15 studies conducted in 13 developing countries in Europe, Africa, Latin-and South America and Asia were included in the review. The majority of studies enrolled adults who were healthy or at risk of diabetes or hypertension. The average intervention length was 6.4 months, and text messages and the Internet were the most frequently used intervention delivery channels. Risk of bias across the studies was moderate (55.7 % of the criteria fulfilled). Eleven studies reported significant positive effects of an e-& mHealth intervention on physical activity and/or diet behaviour. Respectively, 50 % and 70 % of the interventions were effective in promoting physical activity and healthy diets. The majority of studies demonstrated that e-& mHealth interventions were effective in promoting physical activity and healthy diets in developing countries. Future interventions should use more rigorous study designs, investigate the cost-effectiveness and reach of interventions, and focus on emerging technologies, such as

  11. Identifying transportation solutions that promote healthy aging for Texas : final report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-09-01

    As the population of Texans who are aging continues to grow, the role that transportation plays in the promotion of healthy aging is useful information for policy makers to plan and provide for the safe and healthy aging of Texass population. Tran...

  12. Healthy and wellbeing activities' promotion using a Big Data approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gachet Páez, Diego; de Buenaga Rodríguez, Manuel; Puertas Sánz, Enrique; Villalba, María Teresa; Muñoz Gil, Rafael

    2018-06-01

    The aging population and economic crisis specially in developed countries have as a consequence the reduction in funds dedicated to health care; it is then desirable to optimize the costs of public and private healthcare systems, reducing the affluence of chronic and dependent people to care centers; promoting healthy lifestyle and activities can allow people to avoid chronic diseases as for example hypertension. In this article, we describe a system for promoting an active and healthy lifestyle for people and to recommend with guidelines and valuable information about their habits. The proposed system is being developed around the Big Data paradigm using bio-signal sensors and machine-learning algorithms for recommendations.

  13. Effectiveness of a Canteen Take Away concept in promoting healthy eating patterns among employees

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lassen, Anne Dahl; Ernst, Lotte; Poulsen, Sanne

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a relatively novel concept of providing employees with healthy ready-to-heat meals to bring home to their families, here referred to as Canteen Take Away (CTA). Design: Employees’ dietary intake on two weekdays when they received free CTA was compare...... study shows that providing healthy take-away dinners has potential for promoting healthy dietary habits among employees. This reinforces the importance of availability and convenience as effective tools to promote healthy eating habits....

  14. Children and Adolescents and Digital Media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid Chassiakos, Yolanda Linda; Radesky, Jenny; Christakis, Dimitri; Moreno, Megan A; Cross, Corinn

    2016-11-01

    Today's children and adolescents are immersed in both traditional and new forms of digital media. Research on traditional media, such as television, has identified health concerns and negative outcomes that correlate with the duration and content of viewing. Over the past decade, the use of digital media, including interactive and social media, has grown, and research evidence suggests that these newer media offer both benefits and risks to the health of children and teenagers. Evidence-based benefits identified from the use of digital and social media include early learning, exposure to new ideas and knowledge, increased opportunities for social contact and support, and new opportunities to access health promotion messages and information. Risks of such media include negative health effects on sleep, attention, and learning; a higher incidence of obesity and depression; exposure to inaccurate, inappropriate, or unsafe content and contacts; and compromised privacy and confidentiality. This technical report reviews the literature regarding these opportunities and risks, framed around clinical questions, for children from birth to adulthood. To promote health and wellness in children and adolescents, it is important to maintain adequate physical activity, healthy nutrition, good sleep hygiene, and a nurturing social environment. A healthy Family Media Use Plan (www.healthychildren.org/MediaUsePlan) that is individualized for a specific child, teenager, or family can identify an appropriate balance between screen time/online time and other activities, set boundaries for accessing content, guide displays of personal information, encourage age-appropriate critical thinking and digital literacy, and support open family communication and implementation of consistent rules about media use. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  15. The Role of Social Media in Promoting Women's Health Education in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahkali, Salwa; Almaiman, Ahmad; Bahkali, Ahlam; Almaiman, Sara; Househ, Mowafa; Alsurimi, Khaled

    2015-01-01

    Social media has the potential to improve women's health in developing countries through health education and promotion. In the Arab world, women's health interventions are lacking. However, with a high penetration rate of social media in the Arab world, there is good opportunity to utilize social media platforms such as Twitter to promote women's health. In this paper, we analyze the Tweet feeds of Saudi-based Twitter account to promote women's health. A total of 5167 Tweets were extracted and analyzed retrospectively, using NVivo Ncapture between June 2014 and March 2015. There were a total number of 3449 followers by March 20, 2015. Results showed that a majority of the Twitter followers (61%, n=2104) were seeking gynecological information, followed by pregnancy related information (27%, n=931), breast-feeding advice (9%, n=310), and other health related information (3%, n=103). Results also showed an increased level of health awareness and comprehension among Twitter followers. Further research is needed to promote women's health in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world through social media platforms such as Twitter and similar platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube which are also popular in the Arab world.

  16. How Researchers Use Social Media to Promote their Research and Network with Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Päivi Jaring

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Social media is now an essential information and interaction channel. Companies advertise and sell their products and services through social media, but this channel has not been so commonly applied to the task of selling knowledge and research work. This article studies the use of social media by researchers to promote their research and network with product developers in industry, and it presents a model of the use of social media by researchers. The data for this research was obtained by interviewing individual researchers of a research organization and surveying product developers from industry. The findings show that social media is seen as a good source of new information and contacts, and it is suitable for promoting awareness of research services and results. The results show that the speed and intensity of social media present challenges for researchers, but by being active in posting content and participating in discussions, researchers can derive benefits and enhance their personal reputations.

  17. Promoting Healthy Weight among Children with Developmental Delays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natale, Ruby R.; Camejo, Stephanie T.; Asfour, Lila; Uhlhorn, Susan B.; Delamater, Alan; Messiah, Sarah E.

    2017-01-01

    An extensive body of research demonstrates a higher prevalence of obesity among children with developmental delays (DD) versus children without delays. This analysis examined the effectiveness of a randomized controlled trial to promote healthy weight in a subsample of preschool-age children with DD (n = 71) on the adoption of quality nutrition…

  18. Exercise Promotes Healthy Aging of Skeletal Muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cartee, Gregory D; Hepple, Russell T; Bamman, Marcas M

    2016-01-01

    caused by diseases and lifestyle factors. Secondary aging can exacerbate deficits in mitochondrial function and muscle mass, concomitant with the development of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Exercise opposes deleterious effects of secondary aging by preventing the decline in mitochondrial...... respiration, mitigating aging-related loss of muscle mass and enhancing insulin sensitivity. This review focuses on mechanisms by which exercise promotes "healthy aging" by inducing modifications in skeletal muscle....

  19. The role of religious leaders in promoting healthy habits in religious institutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anshel, Mark H; Smith, Mitchell

    2014-08-01

    The growing obesity epidemic in the West, in general, and the U.S.A., in particular, is resulting in deteriorating health, premature and avoidable onset of disease, and excessive health care costs. The religious community is not immune to these societal conditions. Changing health behavior in the community requires both input from individuals who possess knowledge and credibility and a receptive audience. One group of individuals who may be uniquely positioned to promote community change but have been virtually ignored in the applied health and consulting psychology literature is religious leaders. These individuals possess extraordinary credibility and influence in promoting healthy behaviors by virtue of their association with time-honored religious traditions and the status which this affords them-as well as their communication skills, powers of persuasion, a weekly (captive) audience, mastery over religious texts that espouse the virtues of healthy living, and the ability to anchor health-related actions and rituals in a person's values and spirituality. This article focuses on ways in which religious leaders might promote healthy habits among their congregants. By addressing matters of health, nutrition, and fitness from the pulpit and in congregational programs, as well as by visibly adopting the tenets of a healthier lifestyle, clergy can deliver an important message regarding the need for healthy living. Through such actions, religious leaders can be effective agents in promoting critical change in these areas.

  20. Traffic-light labels and choice architecture: promoting healthy food choices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorndike, Anne N; Riis, Jason; Sonnenberg, Lillian M; Levy, Douglas E

    2014-02-01

    Preventing obesity requires maintenance of healthy eating behaviors over time. Food labels and strategies that increase visibility and convenience of healthy foods (choice architecture) promote healthier choices, but long-term effectiveness is unknown. Assess effectiveness of traffic-light labeling and choice architecture cafeteria intervention over 24 months. Longitudinal pre-post cohort follow-up study between December 2009 and February 2012. Data were analyzed in 2012. Large hospital cafeteria with a mean of 6511 transactions daily. Cafeteria sales were analyzed for (1) all cafeteria customers and (2) a longitudinal cohort of 2285 hospital employees who used the cafeteria regularly. After a 3-month baseline period, cafeteria items were labeled green (healthy); yellow (less healthy); or red (unhealthy) and rearranged to make healthy items more accessible. Proportion of cafeteria sales that were green or red during each 3-month period from baseline to 24 months. Changes in 12- and 24-month sales were compared to baseline for all transactions and transactions by the employee cohort. The proportion of sales of red items decreased from 24% at baseline to 20% at 24 months (pchoice architecture cafeteria intervention resulted in sustained healthier choices over 2 years, suggesting that food environment interventions can promote long-term changes in population eating behaviors. © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine Published by American Journal of Preventive Medicine All rights reserved.

  1. Pre-event Social Media Marketing To Promote Ticket Sales : Case: Eläköön koirat!

    OpenAIRE

    Tolvanen, Noora

    2016-01-01

    The rise of social media has provided useful marketing tools for companies to promote their events. The purpose of this thesis was to research social media marketing and how it can be used in event promotion. The theory part also includes research of the event marketing process, as it can help to plan the social media marketing strategy. The purpose of the case study in this thesis was to study the ways the commissioning company can use social media marketing in their event promotion. Hence, ...

  2. A meta-analysis of serious digital games for healthy lifestyle promotion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Several systematic reviews have described health-promoting effects of serious games, but so far no meta-analysis has been reported. This paper presents a meta-analysis of 54 serious digital game studies for healthy lifestyle promotion, in which we investigated the overall effectiveness of serious di...

  3. Prospects for the Use of Social Media Marketing Instruments in Health Promotion by Polish Marshal Offices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syrkiewicz-S Witała, Magdalena; Romaniuk, Piotr; Strzelecka, Agnieszka; Lar, Katarzyna; Holecki, Tomasz

    2018-01-01

    To investigate whether the Polish Marshal Offices use instruments for social media marketing activities in the field of health promotion. 14 Polish Marshal Offices participated. The Computer-Assisted Web Interview and Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview were used along with a proprietary questionnaire. Standard statistical methods were employed. The number of people using the Internet and social media in Poland is steadily growing. The majority of the offices (93%) performed health promotion activities. The authorities collaborated with other units of local government and non-governmental organizations in these activities. According to respondents, the most convincing form of health promotion is direct communication (46%). More than half of the surveyed offices (56%) did not use portals or social networking sites in health campaigns. The rest of the offices indicated using Facebook (25%) or YouTube (6%). Half of them did not apply the tools of social media marketing. The other half was involved in discussions on health-related online forums (moderation or consulting). Relatively few offices use social media and social media marketing in health promotion campaigns. The use of social media by the Marshal Offices may result in a potential increase in effectiveness of the pro-health campaigns. It is recommended that Polish Marshal Offices recognize the potential benefits of social media marketing campaign instruments in the field of health promotion in order to reach out the digital recipients.

  4. EUROPREV healthy diet : promoting a healthy diet through counselling in primary care

    OpenAIRE

    EUROPREV : European Network for Prevention and Health Promotion in Family Medicine/General Practice

    2006-01-01

    The goal of this paper is to promote a healthy diet, improve the health status of the population and prevem chronic non- communicable diseases that are related to unhealthy diet. Diet plays an importam role in coronary hean disease, cancers, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease and obesity. This documem is imended for primary care professionals as a tool for nutrition-related advice and guidance to patiems. In their daily practice, such professionals must provide instructi...

  5. [On motivations of adolescents to promote a healthy lifestyle].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bal, L V; Mikhailov, A N; Gundarov, I A

    2014-01-01

    There was studied the motivation of modern adolescents to promote healthy lifestyle. There were observed two arrays, including adolescent-schoolchildren aged 16-17 and 13-14 years in Moscow. The results showed that health occupied one of the first places among the positive motivations, being stable dominant in the period of 13-17 years. The real motivation for a healthy lifestyle coincides with the perspective and informed choice coincides with the life goals. In this, almost all of the identified negative motivation are "manageable", available to be modified or eliminated.

  6. Prospects for the Use of Social Media Marketing Instruments in Health Promotion by Polish Marshal Offices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Syrkiewicz-S´witała

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available PurposeTo investigate whether the Polish Marshal Offices use instruments for social media marketing activities in the field of health promotion.Methodology14 Polish Marshal Offices participated. The Computer-Assisted Web Interview and Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview were used along with a proprietary questionnaire. Standard statistical methods were employed.FindingsThe number of people using the Internet and social media in Poland is steadily growing. The majority of the offices (93% performed health promotion activities. The authorities collaborated with other units of local government and non-governmental organizations in these activities. According to respondents, the most convincing form of health promotion is direct communication (46%. More than half of the surveyed offices (56% did not use portals or social networking sites in health campaigns. The rest of the offices indicated using Facebook (25% or YouTube (6%. Half of them did not apply the tools of social media marketing. The other half was involved in discussions on health-related online forums (moderation or consulting. Relatively few offices use social media and social media marketing in health promotion campaigns.ValueThe use of social media by the Marshal Offices may result in a potential increase in effectiveness of the pro-health campaigns. It is recommended that Polish Marshal Offices recognize the potential benefits of social media marketing campaign instruments in the field of health promotion in order to reach out the digital recipients.

  7. Global Handwashing Day 2012: a qualitative content analysis of Chinese social media reaction to a health promotion event.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fung, Isaac Chun-Hai; Cai, Jingxian; Hao, Yi; Ying, Yuchen; Chan, Benedict Shing Bun; Tse, Zion Tsz Ho; Fu, King-Wa

    2015-01-01

    Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is a handwashing promotion campaign organized by the Global Public-Private Partnership of Handwashing with Soap. In China, it has been promoted by the Chinese public health authorities, international organizations and multinational corporations through various channels including social media such as Sina Weibo, the leading Chinese microblogging site similar to Twitter. The objective of this study is to qualitatively assess Chinese social media users' reactions to a health promotion campaign using Global Handwashing Day (GHD) 2012 as an example. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 552 Weibo posts generated on GHD 2012 by Weibo users with 1000 or more followers with the Chinese keyword for "handwashing." We categorized the Weibo posts into groups by keywords that frequently appeared in the data set. These groups were either exact reposts of an original post, or they conveyed similar information. We observed the interconnections between traditional media and social media in handwashing promotion. Social media were found to serve as amplifiers of contents provided by traditional media. We observed the contextualization of global hygiene messages in a unique national social media market in China. Our study showed that social media and traditional media are two interconnected arms of the GHD campaign in China. Our analysis demonstrated that public health campaigns in China can be evaluated using social media data. The themes and topics identified in this study will help public health practitioners evaluate future social media handwashing promotion campaigns.

  8. Fresh Food Program Promotes Healthy Eating Habits among Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kish, Stacy

    2008-01-01

    Communities across the nation are fighting the increased incidence of childhood obesity and Type II diabetes. With funding from USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), a group in Illinois is promoting environmental sustainability and healthy eating habits in young Americans. Seven Generations Ahead's…

  9. Promoting healthy competition across the energy market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2001-01-01

    As of August 1 last year, Finland's Electricity Market Authority became the Energy Market Authority. The timing of the change coincided with the introduction of Finland's new Natural Gas Market Act and reflected the extension of the Authority's responsibility to cover promoting healthy and efficient competition on both the electricity and natural gas market and to secure reasonable and equitable service principles in the operations of both networks. The Electricity Market Authority began operations in mid-1995 as an expert body subordinate to the Ministry of Trade and industry when Finland's Electricity Market Act came into force, bringing with it a phased opening-up of the Finnish electricity market. The principle task of the Authority was, and remains, to supervise the pricing of transmission, distribution, and other network services, and to ensure a healthy level of competition

  10. Using mass-media communications to increase population usage of Australia’s Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O’Hara Blythe J

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Global obesity prevalence is increasing and population health programs are required to support changes to modifiable lifestyle risk factors. Such interventions benefit from mass-communications to promote their use. The Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service ® (GHS utilised mass-reach media advertising to recruit participants to an Australian state-wide program. Methods A stand alone population survey collected awareness, knowledge and behavioural variables before the first advertising phase, (n = 1,544; August -September 2010, during (n = 1,500; February - March 2011 and after the advertising period (n = 1,500; June-July 2011. GHS usage data (n = 6,375 was collated during July 2010 – June 2011. Results The results showed that television-lead mass-media significantly increased unprompted awareness (0% to 31.8%, p  Conclusions GHS mass-communications campaigns are effective at increasing awareness and usage of the GHS, especially among hard-to-reach population groups. Television advertising provides universal reach, but should be supplemented by health professional referrals and targeted mail-out information to recruit participants to the intensive GHS coaching program.

  11. Promoting Oral Health Using Social Media Platforms: Seeking Arabic Online Oral Health Related Information (OHRI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almaiman, Sarah; Bahkali, Salwa; Alabdulatif, Norah; Bahkaly, Ahlam; Al-Surimi, Khaled; Househ, Mowafa

    2016-01-01

    Access to oral health care services around the world is limited by a lack of universal coverage. The internet and social media can be an important source for patients to access supplementary oral health related information (OHRI). Online OHRI presents an opportunity to enhance dental public health education about innumerable oral health issues and promote dental self-care. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of social media users among the Saudi population and identify the preferred social media platform for seeking Arabic OHRI and its impact on seekers' knowledge, attitude, and behavior. A total of 2652 Twitter followers were surveyed, using a web-based self-administered questionnaire to collect data on demographic characteristics and online OHRI seeking behavior More than two thirds, 67.7% (n= 1796), of the participants reported they were seeking Arabic online OHRI, while 41.1% of the participants reported they had no preference for using a specific social media platform. These results emphasize the need and importance of supporting the content of social media with trusted and high quality online OHRI resources to promote a high level of public awareness about oral health and dental health services. Further studies in this regard are highly recommended on a larger scale of nationalities to explore the role of social media platform preference in promoting health promotion and dental public health awareness.

  12. Effect of Social Media in a mHealth Application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tufte, Trond; Babic, Ankica

    2017-01-01

    In this project the potential of social media has been reviewed in terms how it can promote a healthy lifestyle utilized in an app. A mHealth app for smartphones has been developed using Design Science methodology, where various features from social media have been implemented with the goal of increasing physical activity. The application has been evaluated extensively in order to meet usability requirements. In addition, a focus group has contributed towards the application's potential to increase physical. The data collected is suggesting that social features have a positive impact on promoting physical activity.

  13. Healthy or Unhealthy on Sale? A cross-sectional study on the proportion of healthy and unhealthy foods promoted through flyer advertising by supermarkets in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravensbergen, Eva A H; Waterlander, Wilma E; Kroeze, Willemieke; Steenhuis, Ingrid H M

    2015-05-06

    It is generally assumed that supermarkets promote unhealthy foods more heavily than healthy foods. Promotional flyers could be an effective tool for encouraging healthier food choices; however, there is a lack of good-quality evidence on this topic. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the proportions of healthy and unhealthy foods on promotion in Dutch supermarket flyers. Supermarket food promotions were assessed using the weekly promotional flyers of four major Dutch supermarkets over a period of eight weeks. All promotions were evaluated for healthiness, price discount, minimum purchase amount, product category and promotion type. The level of healthiness consists of a 'healthy' group; products which have a positive effect on preventing chronic diseases and can be eaten every day. The 'unhealthy' group contain products which have adverse effects on the prevention of chronic diseases. Data were analysed using ANOVA, independent t-tests and chi-square tests. A total of 1,495 promotions were included in this study. There were more promotions in the unhealthy category; 70% of promotions were categorised as unhealthy. The price discount was greater for the healthy promotions (mean 29.5%, SD 12.1) than for the two categories of unhealthy promotions (23.7%, SD 10.8; 25.4%, SD 10.5, respectively), a tendency which was mainly due to discounts in the fruit and vegetables category. To obtain the advertised discount, a significantly higher number of products had to be purchased in the unhealthy category than in the healthier categories. Promotions in the category meat, poultry and fish category occurred frequently. Compared to traditional supermarkets, discounter supermarkets had higher percentages of unhealthy food discounts, lower discount levels and lower minimum purchase amounts. This research confirmed that unhealthy foods are more frequently advertised than healthier foods in Dutch supermarket flyers. Moreover, consumers had to buy more products to

  14. An Innovative School-Based Intervention to Promote Healthy Lifestyles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piana, Natalia; Ranucci, Claudia; Buratta, Livia; Foglia, Elena; Fabi, Marta; Novelli, Francesca; Casucci, Simone; Reginato, Elisa; Pippi, Roberto; Aiello, Cristina; Leonardi, Alessia; Romani, Giannermete; De Feo, Pierpaolo; Mazzeschi, Claudia

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To describe an innovative school-based intervention to promote healthy lifestyles. To evaluate its effects on children's food habits and to highlight the key components which contribute most to the beneficial effects obtained from children's, teachers' and parents' perspectives. Design: An educational tool to improve personal awareness,…

  15. Social media use by community-based organizations conducting health promotion: a content analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramanadhan, Shoba; Mendez, Samuel R; Rao, Megan; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

    2013-12-05

    Community-based organizations (CBOs) are critical channels for the delivery of health promotion programs. Much of their influence comes from the relationships they have with community members and other key stakeholders and they may be able to harness the power of social media tools to develop and maintain these relationships. There are limited data describing if and how CBOs are using social media. This study assesses the extent to which CBOs engaged in health promotion use popular social media channels, the types of content typically shared, and the extent to which the interactive aspects of social media tools are utilized. We assessed the social media presence and patterns of usage of CBOs engaged in health promotion in Boston, Lawrence, and Worcester, Massachusetts. We coded content on three popular channels: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We used content analysis techniques to quantitatively summarize posts, tweets, and videos on these channels, respectively. For each organization, we coded all content put forth by the CBO on the three channels in a 30-day window. Two coders were trained and conducted the coding. Data were collected between November 2011 and January 2012. A total of 166 organizations were included in our census. We found that 42% of organizations used at least one of the channels of interest. Across the three channels, organization promotion was the most common theme for content (66% of posts, 63% of tweets, and 93% of videos included this content). Most organizations updated Facebook and Twitter content at rates close to recommended frequencies. We found limited interaction/engagement with audience members. Much of the use of social media tools appeared to be uni-directional, a flow of information from the organization to the audience. By better leveraging opportunities for interaction and user engagement, these organizations can reap greater benefits from the non-trivial investment required to use social media well. Future research should

  16. Price promotions on healthier compared with less healthy foods: a hierarchical regression analysis of the impact on sales and social patterning of responses to promotions in Great Britain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Ryota; Suhrcke, Marc; Jebb, Susan A; Pechey, Rachel; Almiron-Roig, Eva; Marteau, Theresa M

    2015-04-01

    There is a growing concern, but limited evidence, that price promotions contribute to a poor diet and the social patterning of diet-related disease. We examined the following questions: 1) Are less-healthy foods more likely to be promoted than healthier foods? 2) Are consumers more responsive to promotions on less-healthy products? 3) Are there socioeconomic differences in food purchases in response to price promotions? With the use of hierarchical regression, we analyzed data on purchases of 11,323 products within 135 food and beverage categories from 26,986 households in Great Britain during 2010. Major supermarkets operated the same price promotions in all branches. The number of stores that offered price promotions on each product for each week was used to measure the frequency of price promotions. We assessed the healthiness of each product by using a nutrient profiling (NP) model. A total of 6788 products (60%) were in healthier categories and 4535 products (40%) were in less-healthy categories. There was no significant gap in the frequency of promotion by the healthiness of products neither within nor between categories. However, after we controlled for the reference price, price discount rate, and brand-specific effects, the sales uplift arising from price promotions was larger in less-healthy than in healthier categories; a 1-SD point increase in the category mean NP score, implying the category becomes less healthy, was associated with an additional 7.7-percentage point increase in sales (from 27.3% to 35.0%; P sales uplift from promotions was larger for higher-socioeconomic status (SES) groups than for lower ones (34.6% for the high-SES group, 28.1% for the middle-SES group, and 23.1% for the low-SES group). Finally, there was no significant SES gap in the absolute volume of purchases of less-healthy foods made on promotion. Attempts to limit promotions on less-healthy foods could improve the population diet but would be unlikely to reduce health

  17. Policy initiatives to promote healthy aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Infeld, Donna Lind; Whitelaw, Nancy

    2002-08-01

    involve improving housing, nutrition, transportation, and other arenas that play a role in the health of communities and cities. According to the IOM, the most successful interventions are aimed at families, neighborhoods and communities. Interventions are also most likely to be successful when legislative, media, and marketing efforts support them [50]. These broader policies may actually have the most potential impact in terms of developing sustainable lifestyle changes that reach all Americans, especially those with the greatest health needs. Within the aging population, those with greatest health needs include members of minority groups, recent immigrants, and the old-old. These groups are often overlooked when designing and implementing health promotion programs. It is important, however, to remember, for patients and for ourselves, you are never too old to benefit from prevention.

  18. Optimising women's diets. An examination of factors that promote healthy eating and reduce the likelihood of unhealthy eating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Lauren K; Thornton, Lukar; Crawford, David

    2012-08-01

    The majority of nutrition promotion research that has examined the determinants of unhealthy or healthy dietary behaviours has focused on factors that promote consumption of these foods, rather than factors that may both promote healthy eating and buffer or protect consumption of unhealthy foods. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that both promote healthy eating and also reduce the likelihood of eating unhealthily amongst women. A community sample of 1013 Australian women participated in a cross-sectional self-report survey that assessed factors associated with diet and obesity. Multiple logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between a range of individual, social and environmental factors and aspects of both healthy and unhealthy eating, whilst controlling for key covariates. Results indicated that women with high self efficacy for healthy eating, taste preferences for fruit and vegetables, family support for healthy eating and the absence of perceived barriers to healthy eating (time and cost) were more likely to consume components of a healthy diet and less likely to consume components of a unhealthy diet. Optimal benefits in overall diet quality amongst women may be achieved by targeting factors associated with both healthy and unhealthy eating in nutrition promotion efforts. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Policy interventions implemented through sporting organisations for promoting healthy behaviour change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Priest, Naomi; Armstrong, Rebecca; Doyle, Jodie; Waters, Elizabeth

    2008-07-16

    Sporting organisations provide an important setting for health promotion strategies that involve policies, communication of healthy messages and creation of health promoting environments. The introduction of policy interventions within sporting organisations is one strategy to target high risk behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, excess sun exposure, unhealthy eating and discrimination. To update a review of all controlled studies evaluating policy interventions organised through sporting settings to increase healthy behaviour (related to smoking, alcohol, healthy eating, sun protection, discrimination, safety and access). We updated the original (2004) searches in May 2007. We searched: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 2 2007); MEDLINE and MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations (2004 to Week 3 April 2007); EMBASE (2004 to Week 17 2007); PsyclNFO (2004 to April Week 1 2007); CINAHL (2004 to Week 1 May 2007); SPORTDiscus (2004 to April 2007); Sociological Abstracts (2004 to 2007); Dissertation Abstracts (2004 to May 2007), ERIC (2000 to 2007), freely available online health promotion and sports-related databases hosted by leading agencies, and the internet using sport and policy-related key words. Controlled studies evaluating any policy intervention implemented through sporting organisations to instigate and/or sustain healthy behaviour change, intention to change behaviour, or changes in attitudes, knowledge or awareness of healthy behaviour, in people of all ages. Policies must address any of the following: smoking, alcohol, healthy eating, sun protection, access for disadvantaged groups, physical safety (not including injuries), and social and emotional health (e.g. anti-vilification, anti-discrimination). Uncontrolled studies which met the other inclusion criteria were to be reported in an annex to the review. We assessed whether identified citations met the inclusion criteria

  20. Optimizing Tailored Health Promotion for Older Adults : Understanding Their Perspectives on Healthy Living

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marcus-Varwijk, Anne Esther; Koopmans, Marg; Visscher, Tommy L S; Seidell, Jacob C; Slaets, Joris P J; Smits, Carolien H M

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This study explores older adults' perspectives on healthy living, and their interactions with professionals regarding healthy living. This perspective is necessary for health professionals when they engage in tailored health promotion in their daily work routines. Method: In a qualitative

  1. Health on impulse: when low self-control promotes healthy food choices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmon, Stefanie J; Fennis, Bob M; de Ridder, Denise T D; Adriaanse, Marieke A; de Vet, Emely

    2014-02-01

    Food choices are often made mindlessly, when individuals are not able or willing to exert self-control. Under low self-control, individuals have difficulties to resist palatable but unhealthy food products. In contrast to previous research aiming to foster healthy choices by promoting high self-control, this study exploits situations of low self-control, by strategically using the tendency under these conditions to rely on heuristics (simple decision rules) as quick guides to action. More specifically, the authors associated healthy food products with the social proof heuristic (i.e., normative cues that convey majority endorsement for those products). One hundred seventy-seven students (119 men), with an average age of 20.47 years (SD = 2.25) participated in the experiment. This study used a 2 (low vs. high self-control) × 2 (social proof vs. no heuristic) × 2 (trade-off vs. control choice) design, with the latter as within-subjects factor. The dependent variable was the number of healthy food choices in a food-choice task. In line with previous studies, people made fewer healthy food choices under low self-control. However, this negative effect of low self-control on food choice was reversed when the healthy option was associated with the social proof heuristic. In that case, people made more healthy choices under conditions of low self-control. Low self-control may be even more beneficial for healthy food choices than high self-control in the presence of a heuristic. Exploiting situations of low self-control is a new and promising method to promote health on impulse. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  2. Does Promotion Orientation Help Explain Why Future-Orientated People Exercise and Eat Healthy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milfont, Taciano L; Vilar, Roosevelt; Araujo, Rafaella C R; Stanley, Robert

    2017-01-01

    A study with United States undergraduate students showed individuals high in concern with future consequences engage in exercise and healthy eating because they adopt a promotion orientation, which represents the extent to which individuals are inclined to pursue positive gains. The present article reports a cross-cultural replication of the mediation findings with undergraduate samples from Brazil and New Zealand. Promotion orientation mediated the association between concern with future consequences and exercise attitudes in both countries, but the associations for healthy eating were not replicated-which could be explained by distinct obesity prevalence and eating habits in these socio-cultural contexts. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of the findings for promoting health behavior.

  3. Does Promotion Orientation Help Explain Why Future-Orientated People Exercise and Eat Healthy?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taciano L. Milfont

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available A study with United States undergraduate students showed individuals high in concern with future consequences engage in exercise and healthy eating because they adopt a promotion orientation, which represents the extent to which individuals are inclined to pursue positive gains. The present article reports a cross-cultural replication of the mediation findings with undergraduate samples from Brazil and New Zealand. Promotion orientation mediated the association between concern with future consequences and exercise attitudes in both countries, but the associations for healthy eating were not replicated—which could be explained by distinct obesity prevalence and eating habits in these socio-cultural contexts. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of the findings for promoting health behavior.

  4. Evaluating social media's capacity to develop engaged audiences in health promotion settings: use of Twitter metrics as a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neiger, Brad L; Thackeray, Rosemary; Burton, Scott H; Giraud-Carrier, Christophe G; Fagen, Michael C

    2013-03-01

    Use of social media in health promotion and public health continues to grow in popularity, though most of what is reported in literature represents one-way messaging devoid of attributes associated with engagement, a core attribute, if not the central purpose, of social media. This article defines engagement, describes its value in maximizing the potential of social media in health promotion, proposes an evaluation hierarchy for social media engagement, and uses Twitter as a case study to illustrate how the hierarchy might function in practice. Partnership and participation are proposed as culminating outcomes for social media use in health promotion. As use of social media in health promotion moves toward this end, evaluation metrics that verify progress and inform subsequent strategies will become increasingly important.

  5. Less healthy breakfast cereals are promoted more frequently in large supermarket chains in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potvin Kent, Monique; Rudnicki, Erika; Usher, Crystal

    2017-11-13

    The majority of food expenditures are made in supermarkets and this environment influences our purchasing and food intake. Breakfast cereals are frequently marketed as healthy food choices. The objective of this study was to examine the frequency of in-store promotions for cold breakfast cereals in Canadian supermarkets and to determine whether healthier or less healthy breakfast cereals are promoted more frequently. Data was collected once per week over a four-week period from a convenience sample of the five largest Canadian supermarkets in the Ottawa/Gatineau area. Data collection included the number of shelf facings, promotional displays, and the cost of cereals/100 g. The UK Nutrient Profiling Model was used to determine the healthfulness of each breakfast cereal. 29.8% (n = 67) of the 225 unique cereals were classified as healthier and 70.2% (n = 158) were classified as less healthy. Less healthy cereals were displayed at eye level, in the profitable middle shelves, 2.9 times more frequently than healthier cereals. There were 5.3 times more breakfast cereal shelf facings, 4.2 more end cap displays, 1.7 more mid-aisle displays and 3.3 more special pricing signage for less healthy cereals compared to healthier cereals. Less healthy cereals had a significantly higher average total number of shelf facings compared to healthier cereals (t = -4.28 (280.8), p supermarkets need to increase the marketing of healthy breakfast cereals within their stores.

  6. Social Media Marketing as a tool for promoting the regional investment portals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alisa Yu. Fadeyeva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective to investigate the potential of Social Media Marketing as a tool for promoting regional investment portals in the information environment to identify the most effective ways of its implementation and to determine the level of mastering of this tool by the Russian regions. Methods general scientific methods observation comparison analysis induction deduction analogy classification. Results the analysis showed that today Social Media Marketing is an essential tool for interaction with the investment community and one of the most effective ways to promote the regional portal which allows to increase the knowledge of and loyalty to the brand to increase the targeted website traffic to increase the awareness of investors about the specific features of the portal and the regional development agenciesrsquo functioning to promptly receive information about the investment environment and to establish contacts with investors. At the same time the study of SMMactivity in the Russian regions revealed a very low level of quality of communication with investors through social networks. Scientific novelty for the first time the article investigates the significance and makes the comparative analysis of the Social Media Marketing channels with regard to investment promotion agencies as well as the results of the regional structures functioning for effective communication through social networks. Practical significance the main results of the research can be used by the regional investment agencies in order to promote their websites increase the quality of communication with investors and promote the investment attractiveness of the region as a whole. nbsp

  7. Physical activity promotion through the mass media: inception, production, transmission and consumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finlay, Sara-Jane; Faulkner, Guy

    2005-02-01

    Evaluations of physical activity and health media campaigns have been limited and ignore the complex process of communication and the socially constructed nature of news messages. A systematic search strategy was conducted of the literature which was then assessed from two perspectives. First, studies since 1998 were reviewed for their success in impacting message recall and behavior change. Second, employing a critical media studies perspective the papers were assessed for the presence of a more sophisticated understanding of the media processes of inception, transmission and reception. Overall, recent studies support mass media interventions in influencing short-term physical activity message recall and to a lesser extent associated changes in physical activity knowledge. However, the majority of the papers were found to follow a social marketing or media advocacy theory of media promotion with little in-depth consideration of the comprehensive media processes involved in creating media messages and meaning. Simplistic understandings of media transmission dominate in assessing physical activity and health media campaigns. Fuller understandings of the success of media campaigns, the recall of media messages or associated behaviour change can only truly be understood through the application of a more sophisticated form of media analysis.

  8. Development of an Evidence-Informed Blog to Promote Healthy Eating Among Mothers: Use of the Intervention Mapping Protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumas, Audrée-Anne; Lemieux, Simone; Lapointe, Annie; Provencher, Véronique; Robitaille, Julie; Desroches, Sophie

    2017-05-19

    Low adherence to dietary guidelines and a concurrent rise of obesity-related chronic diseases emphasize the need for effective interventions to promote healthy eating. There is growing recognition that behavior change interventions should draw on theories of behavior change. Online interventions grounded in theory lead to increased effectiveness for health behavior change; however, few theory-driven social media-based health promotion interventions have been described in the literature. The objective of this study was to describe the application of the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol to develop an evidence-informed blog to promote healthy eating among French-Canadian mothers of preschool and school-aged children. The following six steps of the IM protocol were performed. In Step 1, a preliminary needs assessment included a literature search on theoretical domains predicting Vegetables and Fruits intakes and Milk and Alternatives intakes in adults (ie, knowledge, beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences, intention/goals) and a qualitative study including focus groups to identify female Internet users' perceptions of their use of healthy eating blogs. In Step 2, two behavioral outcomes were selected (ie, increase daily intakes of Vegetables and Fruits and Milk and Alternatives of mothers to reach Canadian dietary recommendations) and subsequently divided into six performance objectives inspired by national and international dietary recommendations such as planning for healthy meals. A matrix of change objectives was then created by crossing performance objectives with theoretical domains predicting Vegetables and Fruits intakes and Milk and Alternatives intakes in adults. Step 3 consisted of selecting theory-based intervention methods (eg, modeling and goal setting) and translating them into practical applications for the context of a dietary intervention delivered through a blog. A 6-month intervention was developed in Step 4 in which we aimed to

  9. A community-based healthy living promotion program improved self-esteem among minority children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Improving self-esteem, dietary habits, and physical activity is essential for long-term success in childhood obesity prevention. The aim is to evaluate the effects of a healthy living promotion program, Healthy Kids-Houston, on BMI, dietary habits, self-esteem, and physical activity among minority c...

  10. Can School Organic Food Policy Promote Healthy Behaviors in Danish Children?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    He, Chen

    in initiatives which promote healthy foods and physical activity. Concurrently, municipalities and other public bodies increasingly recognize their responsibility to support sustainable food production methods, such as organic agriculture, by choosing this kind of foods in public institutions. The question...... therefore arises whether these two trends - healthier eating strategies for youth, and increased public consumption of organic food, interact. This paper investigates the interrelation between the two trends: healthy eating and organic consumption. In Denmark, public schools are utilised for public organic...... explored the attitudes, policies/intentions and actions in relation to organic and healthy foods served in the schools. Results indicate that organic food intervention strategies can be supportive for strategies to increase the healthiness of school eating patterns....

  11. A partnership for health - working with schools to promote healthy lifestyle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Smita; Patching van der Sluijs, Corinne; Lagleva, Marivic; Pesle, Andrew; Lim, Kean-Seng; Bittar, Hani; Dibley, Michael

    2011-12-01

    Childhood obesity is increasing in prevalence. Effective interventions are needed, including those promoting healthy lifestyle habits in children and adolescents. This article describes the development and feasibility of a peer led health promotion program in a New South Wales high school and the role GPs can play in community based health promotion activities. The Students As Lifestyle Activists (SALSA) program was developed by general practitioners, a local community health organisation and a local high school. Preliminary evaluation suggests that a peer led approach is feasible, acceptable and valued by both students and staff.

  12. Promoting nuclear energy through corporate media tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moore, Alexander

    2002-01-01

    This presentation looks at the best way of communicating a specific message and how Urenco Ltd have achieved this by promoting the benefits of nuclear energy through current corporate media. The presentation is split in to two segments; firstly considering the basics of good communication and how communication tools can be used in a variety of ways to maximize the effectiveness of messages and ideas. Secondly, examples of how Urenco have used current corporate publications in order to present the benefits of nuclear energy to a wider audience. (author)

  13. Real-World Usage of Educational Media Does Not Promote Parent-Child Cognitive Stimulation Activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Jason H; Mendelsohn, Alan L; Weisleder, Adriana; Cates, Carolyn Brockmeyer; Canfield, Caitlin; Seery, Anne; Dreyer, Benard P; Tomopoulos, Suzy

    2018-03-01

    To determine whether educational media as actually used by low-income families promote parent-child cognitive stimulation activities. We performed secondary analysis of the control group of a longitudinal cohort of mother-infant dyads enrolled postpartum in an urban public hospital. Educational media exposure (via a 24-hour recall diary) and parent-child activities that may promote cognitive stimulation in the home (using StimQ) were assessed at 6, 14, 24, and 36 months. Data from 149 mother-child dyads, 93.3% Latino, were analyzed. Mean (standard deviation) educational media exposure at 6, 14, 24, and 36 months was, respectively, 25 (40), 42 (58), 39 (49), and 39 (50) minutes per day. In multilevel model analyses, prior educational media exposure had small positive relationship with subsequent total StimQ scores (β = 0.11, P = .03) but was nonsignificant (β = 0.08, P = .09) after adjusting for confounders (child: age, gender, birth order, noneducational media exposure, language; mother: age, ethnicity, marital status, country of origin, language, depressive symptoms). Educational media did predict small increases in verbal interactions and toy provision (adjusted models, respectively: β = 0.13, P = .02; β = 0.11; P = .03). In contrast, more consistent relationships were seen for models of the relationship between prior StimQ (total, verbal interactions and teaching; adjusted models, respectively: β = 0.20, P = .002; β = 0.15, P = .006; β = 0.20, P = .001) and predicted subsequent educational media. Educational media as used by this sample of low-income families does not promote cognitive stimulation activities important for early child development or activities such as reading and teaching. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Do teachers believe they are competent to promote healthy ICT use among their students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zlamanski, R; Ciccarelli, M

    2012-01-01

    Information and communication technologies (ICT), including computers, are becoming commonplace tools for learning by school children in Australia and around the world. Teachers are responsible for integrating ICT into the school learning environment; however, they may not recognize how and when ICT use may compromise their students' physical health. Children's exposure to physical harm through the unhealthy use of ICT may have liability implications for the education sector. To determine (i) whether teachers consider it their responsibility to promote healthy ICT use among their students; (ii) teachers' self-perceived competence to do so; and (iii) what teachers perceive are the barriers and enablers to promoting healthy ICT use among their students. An online survey was developed for the study. All Catholic Education school principals in Western Australia (n=157) were sent an email link to the survey for distribution to teachers at their respective schools. Over the three week survey period, 95 teachers completed the survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data and summarize participants' responses. Fifty-five percent of teachers agreed they were concerned about their students' physical health when using ICT. Only 19% of teachers reported they frequently or always provided their students with information on how to use computers in their class in a way, so as to promote physical health. Teachers identified barriers to promoting healthy computing use among students including; insufficient time (47%), non-adjustable furniture (46%), and insufficient knowledge (41%). Male teachers reported more confidence in their ability to promote healthy ICT use among students than female teachers. Just over half of the teachers in this study were concerned for the physical health of their students when using ICT in the classroom. Respondents identified barriers that limit their ability to promote healthy practices to their students. Designing and

  15. [Creating a "Health Promotion Checklist for Residents" Attempt to promote healthy activities].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, Akemi; Masaki, Naoko; Fukuizumi, Maiko; Hashimoto, Shuji

    2015-01-01

    To create a "Health Promotion Checklist for Residents" to help promote healthy habits among local residents. First, we investigated items for a health promotion checklist in the Health Japan 21 (2(nd) edition) and other references. Next, we conducted a questionnaire survey including these checklist items in August 2012. The study subjects were randomly selected Hatsukaichi city residents aged ≥20 years. Anonymous survey forms explaining this study were mailed to the investigated subjects and recovered in return envelopes. Data were compared by sex and age group. We created a checklist comprising a 23-item health promotion evaluation index with established scoring. There were 33 questions regarding health checkups; cancer screenings; dental checkups, blood pressure; glycated hemoglobin or blood glucose; dyslipidemia; body mass index; number of remaining teeth; breakfast, vegetable, fruit, and salt intake; nutrient balance; exercise; smoking; drinking; sleep; stress; and mental state. There were also questions on outings, community involvement, activities to improve health, and community connections. The questions were classified into six categories: health management, physical health, dietary and exercise habits, indulgences, mental health, and social activities. Of the 4,002 distributed survey forms, 1,719 valid responses were returned (recovery rate, 43.0%). The mean score by category was 1.69 (N=1,343) for health management, 6.52 (N=1,444) for physical health, 12.97 (N=1,511) for dietary and exercise habits, and 2.29 (N=1,518) for indulgences, all of which were higher for women, and 5.81 (N=1,469) for mental health, which was higher for men. The health management scores were higher among subjects in their 40s and 50s. The physical health score increased gradually with age from the 70 s and older to the 20 s, whereas the dietary and exercise habits increased gradually from the 20 s to the 70 s and older. The 20 s had high scores for indulgences, while mental

  16. Price promotions on healthier compared with less healthy foods: a hierarchical regression analysis of the impact on sales and social patterning of responses to promotions in Great Britain12345

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Ryota; Suhrcke, Marc; Jebb, Susan A; Pechey, Rachel; Almiron-Roig, Eva; Marteau, Theresa M

    2015-01-01

    Background: There is a growing concern, but limited evidence, that price promotions contribute to a poor diet and the social patterning of diet-related disease. Objective: We examined the following questions: 1) Are less-healthy foods more likely to be promoted than healthier foods? 2) Are consumers more responsive to promotions on less-healthy products? 3) Are there socioeconomic differences in food purchases in response to price promotions? Design: With the use of hierarchical regression, we analyzed data on purchases of 11,323 products within 135 food and beverage categories from 26,986 households in Great Britain during 2010. Major supermarkets operated the same price promotions in all branches. The number of stores that offered price promotions on each product for each week was used to measure the frequency of price promotions. We assessed the healthiness of each product by using a nutrient profiling (NP) model. Results: A total of 6788 products (60%) were in healthier categories and 4535 products (40%) were in less-healthy categories. There was no significant gap in the frequency of promotion by the healthiness of products neither within nor between categories. However, after we controlled for the reference price, price discount rate, and brand-specific effects, the sales uplift arising from price promotions was larger in less-healthy than in healthier categories; a 1-SD point increase in the category mean NP score, implying the category becomes less healthy, was associated with an additional 7.7–percentage point increase in sales (from 27.3% to 35.0%; P sales uplift from promotions was larger for higher–socioeconomic status (SES) groups than for lower ones (34.6% for the high-SES group, 28.1% for the middle-SES group, and 23.1% for the low-SES group). Finally, there was no significant SES gap in the absolute volume of purchases of less-healthy foods made on promotion. Conclusion: Attempts to limit promotions on less-healthy foods could improve the

  17. Traffic-Light Labels and Choice Architecture Promoting Healthy Food Choices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorndike, Anne N.; Riis, Jason; Sonnenberg, Lillian M.; Levy, Douglas E.

    2014-01-01

    Background Preventing obesity requires maintenance of healthy eating behaviors over time. Food labels and strategies that increase visibility and convenience of healthy foods (choice architecture) promote healthier choices, but long-term effectiveness is unknown. Purpose Assess effectiveness of traffic-light labeling and choice architecture cafeteria intervention over 24 months. Design Longitudinal pre–post cohort follow-up study between December 2009 and February 2012. Data were analyzed in 2012. Setting/participants Large hospital cafeteria with mean of 6511 transactions daily. Cafeteria sales were analyzed for: (1) all cafeteria customers and (2) longitudinal cohort of 2285 hospital employees who used the cafeteria regularly. Intervention After 3-month baseline period, cafeteria items were labeled green (healthy), yellow (less healthy) or red (unhealthy) and rearranged to make healthy items more accessible. Main outcome measures Proportion of cafeteria sales that were green or red during each 3-month period from baseline to 24 months. Changes in 12- and 24-month sales were compared to baseline for all transactions and transactions by the employee cohort. Results The proportion of sales of red items decreased from 24% at baseline to 20% at 24 months (p<0.001), and green sales increased from 41% to 46% (p<0.001). Red beverages decreased from 26% of beverage sales at baseline to 17% at 24 months (p<0.001); green beverages increased from 52% to 60% (p<0.001). Similar patterns were observed for the cohort of employees, with largest change for red beverages (23% to 14%, p<0.001). Conclusions A traffic-light and choice architecture cafeteria intervention resulted in sustained healthier choices over 2 years, suggesting food environment interventions can promote long-term changes in population eating behaviors. PMID:24439347

  18. The use of social media by state tobacco control programs to promote smoking cessation: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duke, Jennifer C; Hansen, Heather; Kim, Annice E; Curry, Laurel; Allen, Jane

    2014-07-10

    The promotion of evidence-based cessation services through social media sites may increase their utilization by smokers. Data on social media adoption and use within tobacco control programs (TCPs) have not been reported. This study examines TCP use of and activity levels on social media, the reach of TCP sites, and the level of engagement with the content on sites. A cross-sectional descriptive study of state TCP social media sites and their content was conducted. In 2013, 60% (30/50) of TCPs were using social media. Approximately one-quarter (26%, 13/50) of all TCPs used 3 or more social media sites, 24% (12/50) used 2, and 10% (5/50) used 1 site. Overall, 60% (30/50) had a Facebook page, 36% (18/50) had a Twitter page, and 40% (20/50) had a YouTube channel. The reach of social media was different across each site and varied widely by state. Among TCPs with a Facebook page, 73% (22/30) had less than 100 likes per 100,000 adults in the state, and 13% (4/30) had more than 400 likes per 100,000 adults. Among TCPs with a Twitter page, 61% (11/18) had less than 10 followers per 100,000 adults, and just 1 state had more than 100 followers per 100,000 adults. Seven states (23%, 7/30) updated their social media sites daily. The most frequent social media activities focused on the dissemination of information rather than interaction with site users. Social media resources from a national cessation media campaign were promoted infrequently. The current reach of state TCP social media sites is low and most TCPs are not promoting existing cessation services or capitalizing on social media's interactive potential. TCPs should create an online environment that increases participation and 2-way communication with smokers to promote free cessation services.

  19. Strategies and willingness of rural restaurateurs to promote healthy foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benson, W

    1995-01-01

    Nutritionists need to understand the willingness of restaurateurs to prepare and sell healthy foods, as Canadians frequently eat meals at food services. The lunch trade restaurants under the jurisdiction of a rural and semi-rural Alberta health unit were surveyed by telephone. Two thirds of the restaurants were family-style and had 100 seats or fewer. Five of 20 healthy foods were rated as difficult to serve, due to: lack of customer demand; lack of food availability; and the need to maintain the quality of fresh vegetables, fruits and milk products. Many restaurateurs are willing to change internally by training staff (88%) and by trying new recipes (84%). Staff education materials perceived to be helpful by 80% of restaurateurs included video/audio tapes, information sheets and posters. Restaurateurs were most willing to use menu inserts (76%), table tents (68%) and door decals (72%) to promote healthy foods. Nutrition services should focus on how restaurants can make changes to include healthy foods through food preparation and menu items.

  20. Cranberry interacts with dietary macronutrients to promote healthy aging in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Cecilia; Yolitz, Jason; Alberico, Thomas; Laslo, Mara; Sun, Yaning; Wheeler, Charles T; Sun, Xiaoping; Zou, Sige

    2014-08-01

    Botanicals possess numerous bioactivities, and some promote healthy aging. Dietary macronutrients are major determinants of life span. The interaction between botanicals and macronutrients that modulates life span is not well understood. Here, we investigated the effect of a cranberry-containing botanical on life span and the influence of macronutrients on the longevity-related effect of cranberry in Drosophila. Flies were supplemented with cranberry on three dietary conditions: standard, high sugar-low protein, and low sugar-high protein diets. We found that cranberry slightly extended life span in males fed with the low sugar-high protein diet but not with other diets. Cranberry extended life span in females fed with the standard diet and more prominently the high sugar-low protein diet but not with the low sugar-high protein diet. Life-span extension was associated with increased reproduction and higher expression of oxidative stress and heat shock response genes. Moreover, cranberry improved survival of sod1 knockdown and dfoxo mutant flies but did not increase wild-type fly's resistance to acute oxidative stress. Cranberry slightly extended life span in flies fed with a high-fat diet. These findings suggest that cranberry promotes healthy aging by increasing stress responsiveness. Our study reveals an interaction of cranberry with dietary macronutrients and stresses the importance of considering diet composition in designing interventions for promoting healthy aging. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America 2013.

  1. Mass media and marketing communication promoting primary and secondary cancer prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannon, Peggy; Lloyd, Gareth P; Viswanath, K; Smith, Tenbroeck; Basen-Engquist, Karen; Vernon, Sally W; Turner, Gina; Hesse, Bradford W; Crammer, Corinne; von Wagner, Christian; Backinger, Cathy L

    2009-01-01

    People often seek and receive cancer information from mass media (including television, radio, print media, and the Internet), and marketing strategies often inform cancer information needs assessment, message development, and channel selection. In this article, we present the discussion of a 2-hour working group convened for a cancer communications workshop held at the 2008 Society of Behavioral Medicine meeting in San Diego, CA. During the session, an interdisciplinary group of investigators discussed the current state of the science for mass media and marketing communication promoting primary and secondary cancer prevention. We discussed current research, new research areas, methodologies and theories needed to move the field forward, and critical areas and disciplines for future research.

  2. Perception of Policy and Environmental Action to Promote Healthy Behaviors in African American Communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addison, Clifton; Jenkins, Brenda W Campbell; White, Monique; Henderson, Frances; McGill, Dorothy J; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna; Payton, Marinelle

    2017-03-07

    The present study aimed to examine the perceptions of African American communities regarding the involvement of political leaders in facilitating policy and environmental change promoting healthy eating and physical activity. We selected the Metro Jackson Area comprised of Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties because it is a combination of urban and rural communities. The sample consisted of 70 participants from seven sites. A total of seven focus groups were asked to respond to one question to assess political leaders' involvement in healthy living: "When you think about your political leaders that you have in the Jackson, Mississippi area, do any of them promote healthy eating and physical activity?" Focus groups consisted of six to 12 participants and were asked to comment on their participation in physical activity. The focus group interviews were digitally recorded. The recorded interviews were transcribed by a professional transcriptionist. Community members could not recollect much participation from political leaders in the health prevention/intervention efforts. In each of the counties, there was evidence that there was some involvement by local politicians in health promotion issues, but not on a large scale. In conclusion, making healthy foods and products available in neighborhood stores has long been associated with healthy behaviors and positive health outcomes. This can make a difference in the Mississippi communities where supermarkets are not accessible and health disparities abound.

  3. Social media for school nurses: promoting school health in the 21st century.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wysocki, Regina

    2015-05-01

    People across the globe use social media to connect with one another, stay in touch with friends and family, and exchange information. Health care has embraced social media, and nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) and NASN have a presence in the social media landscape. The students in our schools today are digital natives who grew up with and are at home in the world of technology. With so many options in the digital world, the question is how can school nurses harness this technology to connect with their students and families? More importantly, how can school nurses use social media in a professional and responsible manner and help to enhance the profession of school nursing overall? This article will outline the planning and implementation of an ongoing social media campaign on wellness and healthy behaviors by one Texas suburban school district. © 2015 The Author(s).

  4. Less healthy breakfast cereals are promoted more frequently in large supermarket chains in Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monique Potvin Kent

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The majority of food expenditures are made in supermarkets and this environment influences our purchasing and food intake. Breakfast cereals are frequently marketed as healthy food choices. The objective of this study was to examine the frequency of in–store promotions for cold breakfast cereals in Canadian supermarkets and to determine whether healthier or less healthy breakfast cereals are promoted more frequently. Methods Data was collected once per week over a four-week period from a convenience sample of the five largest Canadian supermarkets in the Ottawa/Gatineau area. Data collection included the number of shelf facings, promotional displays, and the cost of cereals/100 g. The UK Nutrient Profiling Model was used to determine the healthfulness of each breakfast cereal. Results 29.8% (n = 67 of the 225 unique cereals were classified as healthier and 70.2% (n = 158 were classified as less healthy. Less healthy cereals were displayed at eye level, in the profitable middle shelves, 2.9 times more frequently than healthier cereals. There were 5.3 times more breakfast cereal shelf facings, 4.2 more end cap displays, 1.7 more mid-aisle displays and 3.3 more special pricing signage for less healthy cereals compared to healthier cereals. Less healthy cereals had a significantly higher average total number of shelf facings compared to healthier cereals (t = −4.28 (280.8, p < .001. Conclusions Breakfast cereal manufacturers need to consider reformulation of their breakfast cereals to improve their healthfulness and supermarkets need to increase the marketing of healthy breakfast cereals within their stores.

  5. Using Social Media to Promote Pre-Service Science Teachers' Practices of Socio-Scientific Issue (SSI) - Based Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitiporntapin, Sasithep; Lankford, Deanna Marie

    2015-01-01

    This paper addresses using social media to promote pre-service science teachers' practices of Socio-Scientific Issue (SSI) based teaching in a science classroom setting. We designed our research in two phases. The first phase examined pre-service science teachers' perceptions about using social media to promote their SSI-based teaching. The…

  6. The Differential Effects of Social Media Sites for Promoting Cancer Risk Reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauckner, Carolyn; Whitten, Pamela

    2016-09-01

    Social media are potentially valuable tools for disseminating cancer education messages, but the differential effects of various sites on persuasive outcomes are unknown. In an effort to inform future health promotion, this research tested the effects of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and blogs for delivering a cancer risk reduction message. Using an experimental design, participants were randomly placed in several conditions that delivered the same message but with different forms of social media. Effects on comprehension and attitudes were examined, as they are important variables in the behavior change process. YouTube led to higher comprehension and stronger attitudes toward cancer risk reduction than Twitter, but there were no differences between other sites. Additionally, YouTube led to stronger attitudes toward cancer risk reduction as compared to Facebook, but not any other sites. These results demonstrate that, even if the message is kept constant, the form of social media used to deliver content can have an effect on persuasive outcomes. More research is needed to determine the mechanisms behind the differences found, however. Altogether, this line of research is valuable for any individuals seeking to use social media for health promotion purposes and could have direct implications for the development of cancer risk reduction campaigns.

  7. Influence of Individuals’ Social Media Promotion on the Company’s Performance : Case: Spotted by Locals

    OpenAIRE

    Kukhalashvili, Kristina

    2016-01-01

    The thesis explored the connection between individuals’ social media promotion and its influence on the company’s performance. The definitions of social media and social media marketing were covered, taking into consideration both the advantages and disadvantages of using it within a company’s strategy. The main task was to find out what impact social media on marketing a company’s performance (readership) on the web. The literature review helped provide valuable information about th...

  8. How music may promote healthy behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batt-Rawden, Kari; Tellnes, Gunnar

    2011-03-01

    Using music to promote healthy behaviour may enhance coping mechanisms in spite of illness. 1) To explore the role and significance of music and musicking in the life of men and women with long-term illnesses in or through different life phases, situations, events, issues and contexts. 2) To increase knowledge on how participants, through exposure to and exchange of new musical materials and practices, may learn to use music as a ''technology of self '' in relation to health promotion and rehabilitation. This exploratory study sought to instigate narratives about music's role in supporting health through a pragmatic synthesis of elements of action-research, ethnography and grounded theory. Music CDs were conceived as an interactive and dialectical tool. This longitudinal study involved eight in-depth ethnographic interviews per participant, involving nine men and 13 women, aged between 35 and 65 with long-term illnesses. Music is a motivational device for moving our bodies, releasing anger or aggression and even transcending pain. Personal preferences in music seemed to be important for these participants while exercising, substantiated in the importance of well-being and pleasure in everyday activities and situations. This study has contributed to an increase in self-awareness and consciousness, well-being and health for the majority of the participants in the study. It has brought to the level of consciousness forms of ''expert'' practice that may otherwise have occurred tacitly. Implementation of future health promotion and rehabilitation programmes ought to strengthen their focus on musical, cultural and physical activity both at an individual level and within local communities.

  9. Healthy universities: an example of a whole-system health-promoting setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newton, Joanne; Dooris, Mark; Wills, Jane

    2016-03-01

    The health-promoting settings approach is well established in health promotion, with organisational settings being understood as complex systems able to support human wellbeing and flourishing. Despite the reach and evident importance of higher education as a sector, 'healthy universities' has not received high-level international leadership comparable to many other settings programmes. This study explores how the concept of a healthy university is operationalised in two case study universities. Data collection methods included documentary analysis, observation field notes and semi-structured interviews with staff and students. Staff and students understood the characteristics of a healthy university to pertain to management processes relating to communication and to a respectful organisational ethos. Enhancers of health and wellbeing were feeling valued, being listened to, having skilled and supportive line managers and having a positive physical environment. Inhibitors of health and wellbeing were having a sense of powerlessness and a lack of care and concern. The concept of the healthy university has been slow to be adopted in contrast to initiatives such as healthy schools. In addition to challenges relating to lack of theorisation, paucity of evidence and difficulties in capturing the added value of whole-system working, this study suggests that this may be due to both their complex organisational structure and the diverse goals of higher education, which do not automatically privilege health and wellbeing. It also points to the need for a whole-university approach that pays attention to the complex interactions and interconnections between component parts and highlights how the organisation can function effectively as a social system. © The Author(s) 2015.

  10. Community partnerships in healthy eating and lifestyle promotion: A network analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruopeng An

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Promoting healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources is a complex undertaking that often requires strong partnerships between various agencies. In local communities, these agencies are typically located in different areas, serve diverse subgroups, and operate distinct programs, limiting their communication and interactions with each other. This study assessed the network of agencies in local communities that promote healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources. Network surveys were administered in 2016 among 89 agencies located in 4 rural counties in Michigan that served limited-resource audiences. The agencies were categorized into 8 types: K-12 schools, early childhood centers, emergency food providers, health-related agencies, social resource centers, low-income/subsidized housing complexes, continuing education organizations, and others. Network analysis was conducted to examine 4 network structures—communication, funding, cooperation, and collaboration networks between agencies within each county. Agencies had a moderate level of cooperation, but were only loosely connected in the other 3 networks, indicated by low network density. Agencies in a network were decentralized rather than centralized around a few influential agencies, indicated by low centralization. There was evidence regarding homophily in a network, indicated by some significant correlations within agencies of the same type. Agencies connected in any one network were considerably more likely to be connected in all the other networks as well. In conclusion, promoting healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources warrants strong partnership between agencies in communities. Network analysis serves as a useful tool to evaluate community partnerships and facilitate coalition building.

  11. Mass media in health promotion: an analysis using an extended information-processing model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flay, B R; DiTecco, D; Schlegel, R P

    1980-01-01

    The information-processing model of the attitude and behavior change process was critically examined and extended from six to 12 levels for a better analysis of change due to mass media campaigns. Findings from social psychology and communications research, and from evaluations of mass media health promotion programs, were reviewed to determine how source, message, channel, receiver, and destination variables affect each of the levels of change of major interest (knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, intentions and behavior). Factors found to most likely induce permanent attitude and behavior change (most important in health promotion) were: presentation and repetition over long time periods, via multiple sources, at different times (including "prime" or high-exposure times), by multiple sources, in novel and involving ways, with appeals to multiple motives, development of social support, and provisions of appropriate behavioral skills, alternatives, and reinforcement (preferably in ways that get the active participation of the audience). Suggestions for evaluation of mass media programs that take account of this complexity were advanced.

  12. Health on Impulse : When Low Self-Control Promotes Healthy Food Choices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Salmon, S.J.; Fennis, B.M.; Ridder, D.T.D.; Adriaanse, M.A.; de Vet, E.

    Objective: Food choices are often made mindlessly, when individuals are not able or willing to exert self-control. Under low self-control, individuals have difficulties to resist palatable but unhealthy food products. In contrast to previous research aiming to foster healthy choices by promoting

  13. Health on impulse: when low self-control promotes healthy food choices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Salmon, S.J.; Fennis, B.M.; Ridder, de D.T.D.; Adriaanse, M.A.; Vet, de E.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Food choices are often made mindlessly, when individuals are not able or willing to exert self-control. Under low self-control, individuals have difficulties to resist palatable but unhealthy food products. In contrast to previous research aiming to foster healthy choices by promoting

  14. Governmentality in health promotion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jelsøe, Erling; Land, Birgit; Pedersen, Kirsten Bransholm

    Objectives: Issues of governance in health promotion during the last 3-4 decades has increasingly been seen as characterized by health interventions and campaigns aimed at influencing the citizens to exhibit a certain desired behavior, that is an orientation towards generating self...... is not sufficient to ensure healthy behaviour. Such measures are used in the public as well as the private sector. In this paper we will give a number of examples of this development and a preliminary analysis of the social framework for its emergence. Methods: The paper will present a theoretical discussion...... was conducted as a case oriented search in relevant media and available documents illustrating the tendency towards using coercive measures to promote healthy behaviour. This was followed up through semi-structured interviews with actors from public authorities, organizations and companies with experience...

  15. Media Outlet and Consumer Reactions to Promotional Activities of the Choose Health LA Restaurants Program in Los Angeles County.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gase, Lauren N; Montes, Christine; Robles, Brenda; Tyree, Rachel; Kuo, Tony

    2016-01-01

    This study sought to assess promotional activities undertaken to raise public awareness of the Choose Health LA Restaurants program in Los Angeles County, an environmental change strategy that recognizes restaurants for offering reduced-size and healthier menu options. We used multiple methods to assess public awareness of and reactions to the promotional activities, including an assessment of the reach of core promotional activities, a content analysis of earned media, and an Internet panel survey. The study was conducted in Los Angeles County, home to more than 10 million residents. An online survey firm recruited participants for an Internet panel survey; to facilitate generalization of results to the county's population, statistical weights were applied to analyses of the survey data. Promotional activities to raise awareness of the program included community engagement, in-store promotion, and a media campaign. Outcomes included media impressions, the number of people who reported seeing the Choose Health LA Restaurants logo, and a description of the themes present in earned media. Collectively, paid media outlets reported 335 587 229 total impressions. The Internet panel survey showed that 12% of people reported seeing the program logo. Common themes in earned media included the Choose Health LA Restaurants program aims to provide restaurant patrons with more choices, represents a new opportunity for restaurants and public health to work together, will benefit participating restaurants, and will positively impact health. Promotional activities for the Choose Health LA Restaurants program achieved modest reach and positive reactions from media outlets and consumers. The program strategy and lessons learned can help inform present and future efforts to combine environmental and individually focused strategies that target key influences of consumer food selection.

  16. A Systematic Review of Behavioural Interventions Promoting Healthy Eating among Older People

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhou, Xiao; Perez-Cueto, Armando; dos Santos, Quenia

    2018-01-01

    Because eating habits are inseparably linked with people’s physical health, effective behaviour interventions are highly demanded to promote healthy eating among older people. The aim of this systematic review was to identify effective diet interventions for older people and provide useful evidence...... and direction for further research. Three electronic bibliographic databases—PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection were used to conduct a systematic literature search based on fixed inclusion and exclusion criteria. English language peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2011 and 2016 were...... of chronic disease. The results supported that older people could achieve a better dietary quality if they make diet-related changes by receiving either dietary education or healthier meal service. Further high-quality studies are required to promote healthy eating among older people by taking regional diet...

  17. Sweet vs. Snap! Effective Dispositions in the Media Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Standard, April

    2011-01-01

    In "What Defines an Exemplary School Librarian," Jami Jones and Gail Bush make a strong argument that professional disposition is the key to a successful library media program. The authors emphasize the relevance of INTASC standards which specify that teachers must promote "positive social interaction and (develop) healthy and helping…

  18. Agenda Setting for Health Promotion: Exploring an Adapted Model for the Social Media Era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albalawi, Yousef; Sixsmith, Jane

    2015-01-01

    The foundation of best practice in health promotion is a robust theoretical base that informs design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions that promote the public's health. This study provides a novel contribution to health promotion through the adaptation of the agenda-setting approach in response to the contribution of social media. This exploration and proposed adaptation is derived from a study that examined the effectiveness of Twitter in influencing agenda setting among users in relation to road traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia. The proposed adaptations to the agenda-setting model to be explored reflect two levels of engagement: agenda setting within the social media sphere and the position of social media within classic agenda setting. This exploratory research aims to assess the veracity of the proposed adaptations on the basis of the hypotheses developed to test these two levels of engagement. To validate the hypotheses, we collected and analyzed data from two primary sources: Twitter activities and Saudi national newspapers. Keyword mentions served as indicators of agenda promotion; for Twitter, interactions were used to measure the process of agenda setting within the platform. The Twitter final dataset comprised 59,046 tweets and 38,066 users who contributed by tweeting, replying, or retweeting. Variables were collected for each tweet and user. In addition, 518 keyword mentions were recorded from six popular Saudi national newspapers. The results showed significant ratification of the study hypotheses at both levels of engagement that framed the proposed adaptions. The results indicate that social media facilitates the contribution of individuals in influencing agendas (individual users accounted for 76.29%, 67.79%, and 96.16% of retweet impressions, total impressions, and amplification multipliers, respectively), a component missing from traditional constructions of agenda-setting models. The influence of organizations on agenda setting is

  19. Agenda Setting for Health Promotion: Exploring an Adapted Model for the Social Media Era

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Background The foundation of best practice in health promotion is a robust theoretical base that informs design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions that promote the public’s health. This study provides a novel contribution to health promotion through the adaptation of the agenda-setting approach in response to the contribution of social media. This exploration and proposed adaptation is derived from a study that examined the effectiveness of Twitter in influencing agenda setting among users in relation to road traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia. Objective The proposed adaptations to the agenda-setting model to be explored reflect two levels of engagement: agenda setting within the social media sphere and the position of social media within classic agenda setting. This exploratory research aims to assess the veracity of the proposed adaptations on the basis of the hypotheses developed to test these two levels of engagement. Methods To validate the hypotheses, we collected and analyzed data from two primary sources: Twitter activities and Saudi national newspapers. Keyword mentions served as indicators of agenda promotion; for Twitter, interactions were used to measure the process of agenda setting within the platform. The Twitter final dataset comprised 59,046 tweets and 38,066 users who contributed by tweeting, replying, or retweeting. Variables were collected for each tweet and user. In addition, 518 keyword mentions were recorded from six popular Saudi national newspapers. Results The results showed significant ratification of the study hypotheses at both levels of engagement that framed the proposed adaptions. The results indicate that social media facilitates the contribution of individuals in influencing agendas (individual users accounted for 76.29%, 67.79%, and 96.16% of retweet impressions, total impressions, and amplification multipliers, respectively), a component missing from traditional constructions of agenda-setting models. The influence

  20. Challenges and Facilitators to Promoting a Healthy Food Environment and Communicating Effectively with Parents to Improve Food Behaviors of School Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luesse, Hiershenee B; Paul, Rachel; Gray, Heewon L; Koch, Pamela; Contento, Isobel; Marsick, Victoria

    2018-02-14

    Background Childhood obesity is a major public health concern and families play an important role. Improving strategies to reach parents and directing tailored nutrition education to them is needed. Purpose To investigate the challenges and facilitators to promoting a healthy environment at home and to identify communication preferences to inform intervention strategies for effectively reaching low-income urban minority families. Procedure Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with four groups involving 16 low-income urban parents (94% female; 88% Hispanic/Latino, 12% African American) of elementary school children. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed applying Social Cognitive Theory and using in-vivo coding. Main Findings The most common barriers to parents providing healthy foods to their children were accommodating child preferences and familial opposition. Parents showed intentionality to engage in healthy behaviors, and often shared procedural knowledge for reaching health goals. The analyses of desired communication channels yielded major preferences: tailored information, information provided through multiple mediums, appropriate duration/frequency of messages, and presented from a voice of authority. Conclusion and Implication While parents expressed desires to be healthy, the home food environment presented substantial challenges. Multi-media supports such as workshops, flyers, and text messaging may be useful to facilitate the sharing of information to minimize the tensions between intentionality and reaching desired goals to be healthy. Some parents thought that information received through text messaging could be easily shared and would act as a voice of authority to support child behavior change.

  1. Exercise Promotes Healthy Aging of Skeletal Muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartee, Gregory D; Hepple, Russell T; Bamman, Marcas M; Zierath, Juleen R

    2016-06-14

    Primary aging is the progressive and inevitable process of bodily deterioration during adulthood. In skeletal muscle, primary aging causes defective mitochondrial energetics and reduced muscle mass. Secondary aging refers to additional deleterious structural and functional age-related changes caused by diseases and lifestyle factors. Secondary aging can exacerbate deficits in mitochondrial function and muscle mass, concomitant with the development of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Exercise opposes deleterious effects of secondary aging by preventing the decline in mitochondrial respiration, mitigating aging-related loss of muscle mass and enhancing insulin sensitivity. This review focuses on mechanisms by which exercise promotes "healthy aging" by inducing modifications in skeletal muscle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Integrating weight bias awareness and mental health promotion into obesity prevention delivery: a public health pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McVey, Gail L; Walker, Kathryn S; Beyers, Joanne; Harrison, Heather L; Simkins, Sari W; Russell-Mayhew, Shelly

    2013-04-04

    Promoting healthy weight is a top priority in Canada. Recent federal guidelines call for sustained, multisectoral partnerships that address childhood obesity on multiple levels. Current healthy weight messaging does not fully acknowledge the influence of social determinants of health on weight. An interactive workshop was developed and implemented by a team of academic researchers and health promoters from the psychology and public health disciplines to raise awareness about 1) weight bias and its negative effect on health, 2) ways to balance healthy weight messaging to prevent the triggering of weight and shape preoccupation, and 3) the incorporation of mental health promotion into healthy weight messaging. We conducted a full-day workshop with 342 Ontario public health promoters and administered a survey at preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up. Participation in the full-day workshop led to significant decreases in antifat attitudes and the internalization of media stereotypes and to significant increases in self-efficacy to address weight bias. Participants reported that the training heightened their awareness of their own personal weight biases and the need to broaden their scope of healthy weight promotion to include mental health promotion. There was consensus that additional sessions are warranted to help translate knowledge into action. Buy-in and resource support at the organizational level was also seen as pivotal. Professional development training in the area of weight bias awareness is associated with decreases in antifat attitudes and the internalization of media stereotypes around thinness. Health promoters' healthy weight messaging was improved by learning to avoid messages that trigger weight and shape preoccupation or unhealthful eating practices among children and youth. Participants also learned ways to integrate mental health promotion and resiliency-building into daily practice.

  3. Physical therapy 2.0: leveraging social media to engage patients in rehabilitation and health promotion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, Emily; Werstine, Robert J; Rasmussen-Pennington, Diane M; Fitzsimmons, Deborah; Petrella, Robert J

    2015-03-01

    Care for chronic conditions and noncommunicable diseases is dominating health systems around the globe. For physical therapists, this strain presents a substantial opportunity for engaging patients in health promotion and disease management in the years to come. Examples of social media being used to engage consumers in the business landscape are pervasive, and research reports suggest that patients are ready for social media to be incorporated into the way health care systems deliver care. We propose that leveraging the power and utility of existing technologies, such as social media, could innovate the way physical therapists engage patients in rehabilitation and health promotion practices, thus contributing to the evolution of the profession: Physical Therapy 2.0. To continue to be relevant in the community, physical therapist practice must respond to patients' needs and expectations. Incorporating social media into how physical therapists are both designing and delivering care holds potential for enhancing patient engagement in prescribed health behaviors and improving treatment outcomes. This conceptual article presents the perspective that physical therapists can utilize social media to enhance care delivery and treatment outcomes. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

  4. [PHARMACEUTICAL CARE FOR HEALTHY BREAKFAST PROMOTION IN COMMUNITY PHARMACIES].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín Rives, Fátima; Morales Marin, Fatima; Marín Rives, Luz Virtudes; Gastelurrutia Garralda, Miguel Ángel

    2015-09-01

    a healthy breakfast is the one that includes a balanced portion of every nutrient qualitatively and quantitatively. Although it should supply the 20-25% calories of the day, it is usually insufficient or even absent. to study the food habits of schoolchildren and to participate in a health educational intervention of a Pharmaceutical Care Program with them. only the 36.6% of students have a healthy breakfast every day. The health education achieves favorable changes in the behavior and opinions of the schoolchildren participating. the percentage of students that have C group food is higher than in other studies. We can consider the fact that the School is located in a rural area with many vegetable gardens, and that can help students to eat more fruits. Another remarkable data is that the percentage of alumni that achieve a healthy breakfast is also higher than in other researchers. the breakfast of students of Fifth and Six Degree of Primary School is imbalanced. Health education by an educative and practical intervention benefits positive changes in the students' breakfast. It supports the effort of promoting Heath Education in Primary Schools. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  5. Case Management Promotion of Social Media for the Elderly Who Live Alone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashi, Ilham

    2016-01-01

    Professional case managers advocate patient access to necessary and appropriate services, while educating the patient and family and/or caregiver about resource availability within practice settings. The purpose of this article is to explain the role case managers can have to promote the use of social media by the elderly, as a means to decrease their loneliness and isolation. The promotion of the use of social media will take place in the community setting, involving willing and competent elderly patients who live alone. It is framed as one strategy to help combat loneliness. The primary target audiences for this initiative are case managers who work in the community, as they are the ones who have contact with this population. However, hospital case managers could also benefit, as they need to be aware of ways to help discharged elderly patients feel more connected to their community; the use of social media is one way to achieve this outcome. The elderly population experience changes brought on by their longer life. One of those changes or undesirable effects is an increase in social isolation and experiencing loneliness. There are many factors that contribute to loneliness and social isolation in the elderly such as a change in financial situations, death, divorce, or migration. Utilizing the capabilities of the internet, coupled with the use of social media (e.g., Facebook), can facilitate opening up a virtual world where the elderly can communicate with family and friends, make new friends, or occupy their time with the many interactive games that are available online. Case managers should increase their awareness to identify patients who are socially isolated; the outcome is to decrease the risk of developing a major depressive disorder. Community case managers might at times be the only professional health care givers who are visiting patients in their home; therefore, they should also be aware of the signs and symptoms of depression so they can encourage

  6. USES OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE ASEAN SOCIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY IN VIETNAM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulas Basar Gezgin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The global openness of Vietnam brought out very fast major social changes. The country is a party to a number of international economic agreements and frameworks including World Trade Organization, Trans Pacific Partnership as well as ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations. External economic factors such as those associated with South East Asian integration are coupled with ASEAN’s ambition to set up a socio-cultural community in addition to the economic community. In the meantime, the popularity of social media is rapidly growing in Vietnam with more than 30 million Vietnamese Facebook accounts. Considering these 2 major influences, ie social media and regional integration efforts, this article proposes a number of recommendations to use social media to promote ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

  7. Healthy Tweets: Use and Importance of Twitter for Health Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina M. Gomez Vasquez

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Social media platforms have changed the way people stayinformed, communicate with others, and share ideas. These interactive social platforms are used for many purposes from being in contact with family and friends to promote products and services. However, little is known about the use and importance of social media for health prevention, especially for communication among Hispanic communities.The purpose of this paper is to analyze how social media platforms, especially Twitter, are used for health prevention and communication in Hispanic communities. In doing so, a quantitative content analysis was performed on 3000 tweets with the hashtag #prevención (prevention. Results indicate that most of the prevention messages shared among organizations and users on Twitter were informational messages and very few users promoted interactive communication and mobilization. Mass media and governmental institutions posted more messages to encourage health prevention, especially about publichealth and healthy cities. This study stresses the many social media platforms’ potentialities and functionalities, especially Twitter, that contribute to health prevention and communication. Findings are useful for organizations and users when planning prevention content or campaigns through these platforms.

  8. The Utilization of Instagram as a Media Promotion : the Case Study of Library in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Azwar

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to explore the Instagram utilization and its obstacles as a media promotion of Pustakalana’s library in Bandung, West Java. The research uses qualitative approach. The informants of this research are Pustakalana’s Instagram administrator and Pustakalana’s coordinator, while data collection techniques consist of observation, interview, literature study, and documentation. Triangulation method is used to test data validity and credibility. Technical data analysis involves of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results of this study indicate that Pustakalana’s library has been utilized the Instagram to promote its library, such as various activities and services growing children’s creativity and imagination, events and workshops for parents, photographs of popular and recommended book collection, quotes to motivate children to read, and the atmospheres of the library and bookstore which are convenient and exciting, and another library services information. Instagram of Pustakalana’s library is not only used for promoting its activities, but also for sharing information and communication by its followers in media. Instagram features are almost entirely utilized by the library on promotions and interactions in other social media. The promoted content in Instagram account contains all information that relate to the library. Nevertheless, they are obstacles emerge in Pustakalana’s Library such as the incompatibility between the number of followers with the number of likers who are obtained on each uploaded post, and the lack of human resources. DOI: 10.15408/insaniyat.v2i2.7320

  9. Community-based restaurant interventions to promote healthy eating: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdivia Espino, Jennifer N; Guerrero, Natalie; Rhoads, Natalie; Simon, Norma-Jean; Escaron, Anne L; Meinen, Amy; Nieto, F Javier; Martinez-Donate, Ana P

    2015-05-21

    Eating in restaurants is associated with high caloric intake. This review summarizes and evaluates the evidence supporting community-based restaurant interventions. We searched all years of PubMed and Web of Knowledge through January 2014 for original articles describing or evaluating community-based restaurant interventions to promote healthy eating. We extracted summary information and classified the interventions into 9 categories according to the strategies implemented. A scoring system was adapted to evaluate the evidence, assigning 0 to 3 points to each intervention for study design, public awareness, and effectiveness. The average values were summed and then multiplied by 1 to 3 points, according to the volume of research available for each category. These summary scores were used to determine the level of evidence (insufficient, sufficient, or strong) supporting the effectiveness of each category. This review included 27 interventions described in 25 studies published since 1979. Most interventions took place in exclusively urban areas of the United States, either in the West or the South. The most common intervention categories were the use of point-of-purchase information with promotion and communication (n = 6), and point-of-purchase information with increased availability of healthy choices (n = 6). Only the latter category had sufficient evidence. The remaining 8 categories had insufficient evidence because of interventions showing no, minimal, or mixed findings; limited reporting of awareness and effectiveness; low volume of research; or weak study designs. No intervention reported an average negative impact on outcomes. Evidence about effective community-based strategies to promote healthy eating in restaurants is limited, especially for interventions in rural areas. To expand the evidence base, more studies should be conducted using robust study designs, standardized evaluation methods, and measures of sales, behavior, and health outcomes.

  10. Obesity Prevention among Latino Youth: School Counselors' Role in Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Amy L.; Hayden, Laura A.

    2012-01-01

    Given the burgeoning obesity problem among Latino youth and concomitant health problems (Spiotta & Luma, 2008), school counselors have begun to recognize the need for culturally sensitive programming to promote healthy lifestyles. More theoretical, evidence-based programs are needed, however, to ensure Latino youth receive appropriate…

  11. National health education programs to promote healthy eating and physical activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donato, Karen A

    2006-02-01

    The national education programs and campaigns described here are examples of the many unique kinds of federal efforts under way to promote the pillars of healthy eating and increased physical activity included in the "Healthier US Initiative." They are similar in that: 1) they are based on the best available science that a health problem exists, and 2) that healthy eating and physical active behaviors will improve health status. They are unique in their implementation, for example, in private/public partnerships, coordinating committees of professional associations, and congressionally mandated interventions. Most importantly, they provide the impetus to get a particular health issue on the public agenda.

  12. Exploring determinants of completeness of implementation and continuation of a Dutch school-based healthy diet promotion programme

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bessems, K.M.H.H.; Assema, P. van; Vries, N.K. de; Paulussen, T.W.G.M.

    2014-01-01

    Strategies to promote implementation of school-based health promotion (HP) programmes should be designed to suit determinants of implementation and continuation. This study explored determinants of completeness of teachers' implementation of a healthy diet promotion programme and of their intention

  13. The role of the film as a media communications instrument for the tourist destination promotion strategy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavković Vladimir

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyses different film genres and their role as a media communications instrument for the tourist destination promotion strategy. The general objective of the paper is to point to the significance of film for the tourist destination recognisability as well as its perception in the public eye. The specific objectives of the paper are directed at the analysis of individual roles that different film genres have in the tourist destination promotion strategy. The research methods employed in the paper entail film identification and its role in media communications, the identification both of different film genres and their specific features, then, the observation of their application in the tourist destination promotion strategy, and eventually, the identification of their significance in the process of raising the public's awareness of the destination itself as well as the creation of positive perception of the destination with the targeted audience. In this regard, the paper focuses on the following: feature films, documentary films, tourist-related report, promotional tourist films, messages conveyed through films to the targeted audience as well as the strategies and methods employed in the film as a promotional tool. One of the key findings of the paper is to highlight the significance of each film genre in the process of tourist destination promotion, whereas their combination represents an important segment of media strategies in the field of tourism, and is a prerequisite for the desired positioning in the contemporary tourism market.

  14. Workplace Health Promotion and Mental Health: Three-Year Findings from Partnering Healthy@Work

    OpenAIRE

    Jarman, Lisa; Martin, Angela; Venn, Alison; Otahal, Petr; Blizzard, Leigh; Teale, Brook; Sanderson, Kristy

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the association between mental health and comprehensive workplace health promotion (WHP) delivered to an entire state public service workforce (~28,000 employees) over a three-year period. Government departments in a state public service were supported to design and deliver a comprehensive, multi-component health promotion program, Healthy@Work, which targeted modifiable health risks including unhealthy lifestyles and stress. Repeated cross-sectional surveys co...

  15. An accountability evaluation for the industry's responsible use of brand mascots and licensed media characters to market a healthy diet to American children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraak, V I; Story, M

    2015-06-01

    Corporate strategies that target children are controversial given the link between food marketing and childhood obesity. This case study explored diverse stakeholders' accountability expectations and actions for industry policies and practices that used popular cartoon brand mascots and media characters to promote food products to American children. We reviewed five electronic databases and Internet sources between January 2000 and January 2015. Evidence (n = 90) was selected based upon the Institute of Medicine's LEAD principles (i.e. locate, evaluate, assemble evidence to inform decisions) and organized into two tables: peer-reviewed articles, books and grey-literature reports (n = 34); and media stories, news releases and public testimony (n = 56). A four-step accountability framework was used to evaluate accountability structures. The results showed that moderate progress was achieved by stakeholders to take and share the account, limited progress to hold industry and government to account, and limited progress to strengthen accountability structures. Between 2006 and 2015, the U.S. Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative lacked clear policies for companies to use brand mascots and media characters on food packages, in merchandising, and as toy giveaways and premiums. Government, industry and civil society can substantially strengthen their accountability for these food marketing practices to ensure healthy food environments for children. © 2015 World Obesity.

  16. Healthy bread initiative: methods, findings, and theories--Isfahan Healthy Heart Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talaei, Mohammad; Mohammadifard, Noushin; Khaje, Mohammad-Reza; Sarrafzadegan, Nizal; Sajjadi, Firoozeh; Alikhasi, Hasan; Maghroun, Maryam; Iraji, Farhad; Ehteshami, Shahram

    2013-03-01

    The scientific evidences show that the content, baking methods, and types of bread can make health impacts. Bread, as a major part of Iranian diet, demonstrates a significant potential to be targeted as health promotion subject. Healthy Food for Healthy Communities (HFHC) was a project of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), consisting of a wide variety of strategies, like Healthy Bread (HB) Initiative. The HB Initiative was designed to improve the behaviour of both producers and consumers, mainly aiming at making high-fibre, low-salt bread, eliminating the use of baking soda, providing enough rest time for dough before baking (at least one hour), and enough baking time (at least one minute in oven). A workshop was held for volunteer bakers, and a baker-to-baker training protocol under direct supervision was designed for future volunteers. Cereal Organization was persuaded to provide less refined flour that contained more bran. Health messages in support of new breads were disseminated by media and at bakeries by health professionals. Evaluation of the HB Initiative was done using before-after assessments and population surveys. While HB was baked in 1 (0.01%) bakery at baseline, 402 (41%) bakeries in the intervention area joined the HB Initiative in 2009. Soda was completely eliminated and fibre significantly increased from 4 +/- 0.4 g% before study to 12 +/- 0.6 g% after the intervention (p bread decreased from 13 +/- 1.8 g% to 2 +/- 0.5 g% and was expressed as the most important advantage of this initiative by consumers. People who lived in Isfahan city consumed whole bread 6 times more than those who lived in reference area Arak (p breads as a healthy choice that were compatible with local dishes and made a model to solve the longstanding problems of bread. It used various health promotion approaches but was best consistent with Beattie's model.

  17. Implementing a Mentally Healthy Schools Framework Based on the Population Wide Act-Belong-Commit Mental Health Promotion Campaign: A Process Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anwar-McHenry, Julia; Donovan, Robert John; Nicholas, Amberlee; Kerrigan, Simone; Francas, Stephanie; Phan, Tina

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Mentally Healthy WA developed and implemented the Mentally Healthy Schools Framework in 2010 in response to demand from schools wanting to promote the community-based Act-Belong-Commit mental health promotion message within a school setting. Schools are an important setting for mental health promotion, therefore, the Framework encourages…

  18. A practical, cost-effective method for recruiting people into healthy eating behavior programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Paul W

    2007-04-01

    The population impact of programs designed to develop healthy eating behaviors is limited by the number of people who use them. Most public health providers and researchers rely on purchased mass media, which can be expensive, on public service announcements, or clinic-based recruitment, which can have limited reach. Few studies offer assistance for selecting high-outreach and low-cost strategies to promote healthy eating programs. The purpose of this study was 1) to determine whether classified newspaper advertising is an effective and efficient method of recruiting participants into a healthy eating program and 2) to determine whether segmenting messages by transtheoretical stage of change would help engage individuals at all levels of motivation to change their eating behavior. For 5 days in 1997, three advertisements corresponding to different stages of change were placed in a Canadian newspaper with a daily circulation of 75,000. There were 282 eligible people who responded to newspaper advertisements, and the cost was Can $1.11 (U.S. $0.72) per recruit. This cost compares favorably with the cost efficiency of mass media, direct mail, and other common promotional methods. Message type was correlated with respondent's stage of change, and this correlation suggested that attempts to send different messages to different audience segments were successful. Classified advertisements appear to be a highly cost-efficient method for recruiting a diverse range of participants into healthy eating programs and research about healthy eating.

  19. A Cluster Randomized Trial to Promote Healthy Menu Items for Children: The Kids’ Choice Restaurant Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guadalupe X. Ayala

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Evidence indicates that restaurant-based interventions have the potential to promote healthier purchasing and improve the nutrients consumed. This study adds to this body of research by reporting the results of a trial focused on promoting the sale of healthy child menu items in independently owned restaurants. Eight pair-matched restaurants that met the eligibility criteria were randomized to a menu-only versus a menu-plus intervention condition. Both of the conditions implemented new healthy child menu items and received support for implementation for eight weeks. The menu-plus condition also conducted a marketing campaign involving employee trainings and promotional materials. Process evaluation data captured intervention implementation. Sales of new and existing child menu items were tracked for 16 weeks. Results indicated that the interventions were implemented with moderate to high fidelity depending on the component. Sales of new healthy child menu items occurred immediately, but decreased during the post-intervention period in both conditions. Sales of existing child menu items demonstrated a time by condition effect with restaurants in the menu-plus condition observing significant decreases and menu-only restaurants observing significant increases in sales of existing child menu items. Additional efforts are needed to inform sustainable methods for improving access to healthy foods and beverages in restaurants.

  20. A Cluster Randomized Trial to Promote Healthy Menu Items for Children: The Kids' Choice Restaurant Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayala, Guadalupe X; Castro, Iana A; Pickrel, Julie L; Lin, Shih-Fan; Williams, Christine B; Madanat, Hala; Jun, Hee-Jin; Zive, Michelle

    2017-12-01

    Evidence indicates that restaurant-based interventions have the potential to promote healthier purchasing and improve the nutrients consumed. This study adds to this body of research by reporting the results of a trial focused on promoting the sale of healthy child menu items in independently owned restaurants. Eight pair-matched restaurants that met the eligibility criteria were randomized to a menu-only versus a menu-plus intervention condition. Both of the conditions implemented new healthy child menu items and received support for implementation for eight weeks. The menu-plus condition also conducted a marketing campaign involving employee trainings and promotional materials. Process evaluation data captured intervention implementation. Sales of new and existing child menu items were tracked for 16 weeks. Results indicated that the interventions were implemented with moderate to high fidelity depending on the component. Sales of new healthy child menu items occurred immediately, but decreased during the post-intervention period in both conditions. Sales of existing child menu items demonstrated a time by condition effect with restaurants in the menu-plus condition observing significant decreases and menu-only restaurants observing significant increases in sales of existing child menu items. Additional efforts are needed to inform sustainable methods for improving access to healthy foods and beverages in restaurants.

  1. A Cluster Randomized Trial to Promote Healthy Menu Items for Children: The Kids’ Choice Restaurant Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayala, Guadalupe X.; Castro, Iana A.; Pickrel, Julie L.; Lin, Shih-Fan; Williams, Christine B.; Madanat, Hala; Jun, Hee-Jin; Zive, Michelle

    2017-01-01

    Evidence indicates that restaurant-based interventions have the potential to promote healthier purchasing and improve the nutrients consumed. This study adds to this body of research by reporting the results of a trial focused on promoting the sale of healthy child menu items in independently owned restaurants. Eight pair-matched restaurants that met the eligibility criteria were randomized to a menu-only versus a menu-plus intervention condition. Both of the conditions implemented new healthy child menu items and received support for implementation for eight weeks. The menu-plus condition also conducted a marketing campaign involving employee trainings and promotional materials. Process evaluation data captured intervention implementation. Sales of new and existing child menu items were tracked for 16 weeks. Results indicated that the interventions were implemented with moderate to high fidelity depending on the component. Sales of new healthy child menu items occurred immediately, but decreased during the post-intervention period in both conditions. Sales of existing child menu items demonstrated a time by condition effect with restaurants in the menu-plus condition observing significant decreases and menu-only restaurants observing significant increases in sales of existing child menu items. Additional efforts are needed to inform sustainable methods for improving access to healthy foods and beverages in restaurants. PMID:29194392

  2. A community-wide media campaign to promote walking in a Missouri town.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wray, Ricardo J; Jupka, Keri; Ludwig-Bell, Cathy

    2005-10-01

    Engaging in moderate physical activity for 30 minutes five or more times per week substantially reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, and walking is an easy and accessible way to achieve this goal. A theory-based mass media campaign promoted walking and local community-sponsored wellness initiatives through four types of media (billboard, newspaper, radio, and poster advertisements) in St Joseph, Mo, over 5 months during the summer of 2003. The Walk Missouri campaign was conducted in four phases: 1) formative research, 2) program design and pretesting, 3) implementation, and 4) impact assessment. Using a postcampaign-only, cross-sectional design, a telephone survey (N = 297) was conducted in St Joseph to assess campaign impact. Study outcomes were pro-walking beliefs and behaviors. One in three survey respondents reported seeing or hearing campaign messages on one or more types of media. Reported exposure to the campaign was significantly associated with two of four pro-walking belief scales (social and pleasure benefits) and with one of three community-sponsored activities (participation in a community-sponsored walk) controlling for demographic, health status, and environmental factors. Exposure was also significantly associated with one of three general walking behaviors (number of days per week walking) when controlling for age and health status but not when beliefs were introduced into the model, consistent with an a priori theoretical mechanism: the mediating effect of pro-walking beliefs on the exposure-walking association. These results suggest that a media campaign can enhance the success of community-based efforts to promote pro-walking beliefs and behaviors.

  3. A School Based Intervention for Combating Food Insecurity and Promoting Healthy Nutrition in a Developed Country Undergoing Economic Crisis: A Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalma, A.; Veloudaki, A.; Petralias, A.; Mitraka, K.; Zota, D.; Kastorini, C.-M.; Yannakoulia, M.; Linos, A.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Aiming at reducing the rates of food insecurity and promoting healthy diet for children and adolescents, we designed and implemented the Program on Food Aid and Promotion of Healthy Nutrition-DIATROFI, a school-based intervention program including the daily provision of a free healthy mid-day meal in disadvantaged areas across…

  4. Use of information technology by adolescents and young people and its effect on health promotion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucia Maria Lotrean

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the effects of the use of information technology by adolescents and young people and its effect on health promotion among them. The data are based on literature review. The threats posed by the use of these technologies include increasing risk for sedentary behavior in combination with inappropriate alimentary habits, risk for bulling, risk of exposure to advertisement for tobacco and alcohol products. On the other hand, information technologies have the potential to help and boost the implementation of effective, accessible and sustainable health education programs, but there are several research questions and challenges which should be addressed, such as a. type of theoretical concepts, educational strategies and materials which stimulates self-directed, curiosity-based learning and development of skills and increase confidence for adopting healthy lifestyle b. finding ways to improve teachers’ skills or formal education they need to empower learners to pursue their own interests and free class time for more experiential forms of learning c. understanding how social media can be used for healthy lifestyle promotion and how to avoid missteps is very important d. the challenge to enable pupils to work in collaboration with classmates and teachers to create environments which stimulates education for healthy lifestyle promotion. e. creating authentic learning environment stimulated through games, discussions, and group tasks. In the present, in Romania it is under development an educational program for healthy lifestyle promotion for pupils with hearing disabilities using communication networks, information technology and media.

  5. Do Israeli health promoting schools contribute to students' healthy eating and physical activity habits?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayek, Samah; Tessler, Riki; Bord, Shiran; Endevelt, Ronit; Satran, Carmit; Livne, Irit; Khatib, Mohammed; Harel-Fisch, Yosi; Baron-Epel, Orna

    2017-10-04

    The Israeli Health Promoting School Network (HPSN) is actively committed to enhancing a healthy lifestyle for the entire school population. This study aimed to explore the contribution of school participation in the HPSN and students' individual characteristics to healthy eating and physical activity habits among Israeli school children aged 10-12 years. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4166 students in grades 4-6 from 28 schools. The schools were selected from a sample of HPSN affiliated and non-HPSN schools. The contribution of individual characteristics (grade, gender and subjective self-reported health education activities at school) and school characteristics (school type, population group, deprivation score) to healthy eating and physical activity habits was analyzed using multi-level hierarchical models. Multi-level analysis indicated that student's individual characteristic was significantly associated with healthy eating and physical activity habits. The subjective self-reported health education received at school was statistically significant factor associated with students' health behaviors. The school's affiliation with the HPSN was not associated with higher healthy eating and physical activity scores after adjusting for individual factors. These findings suggest that Israeli HPSN schools do not contribute to children's health behaviors more than other schools. Therefore, health promoting activities in HPSN schools need to be improved to justify their recognition as members of the HPS network and to fulfill their mission. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. What Can a Woman Do to Promote a Healthy Pregnancy Before She Gets Pregnant?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... getting pregnant? Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Can you promote a healthy pregnancy before getting pregnant? ... getting pregnant, following a health care provider's advice can reduce the risk of problems during pregnancy and ...

  7. Cost-effectiveness of healthy eating and/or physical activity promotion in pregnant women at increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Broekhuizen, Karen; Simmons, David; Devlieger, Roland

    2018-01-01

    for pregnant women at increased risk for GDM. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the healthy eating and/or physical activity promotion intervention compared to usual care among pregnant women at increased risk of GDM from a societal perspective. Methods: An economic evaluation...... was performed alongside a European multicenter-randomized controlled trial. A total of 435 pregnant women at increased risk of GDM in primary and secondary care settings in nine European countries, were recruited and randomly allocated to a healthy eating and physical activity promotion intervention (HE + PA...... intervention), a healthy eating promotion intervention (HE intervention), or a physical activity promotion intervention (PA intervention). Main outcome measures were gestational weight gain, fasting glucose, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and societal costs. Results: Between...

  8. [Healthy eating support groups on Facebook: content and features].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leis, Ángela; Mayer, Miguel Ángel; Torres Niño, Javier; Rodríguez-González, Alejandro; Suelves, Josep Maria; Armayones, Manuel

    2013-01-01

    To determine the features and use of groups related to healthy eating on Facebook. We carried out a cross-sectional study through the Internet. Using the API on Facebook, we included open groups related to healthy eating in the Spanish language. The variables studied were name, description, category, the number and gender of users, date of creation, number of posts, content of the first 20 posts, and the most recent update. We selected 281 open groups for inclusion in the study. Of these, 125 were excluded because the content was unrelated to healthy eating. Finally 156 groups were studied with 14,619 users (10,373 women [71%] and 3,919 men [26.8%]). Dietary products were promoted by 40% of the groups. Facebook is used as a means of communication and for sharing health information. Because many of these groups promote dietary products, their usefulness for health education is doubtful. Health organizations should participate in social media. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  9. Maximizing the Impact of Digital Media Campaigns to Promote Smoking Cessation: A Case Study of the California Tobacco Control Program and the California Smokers' Helpline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Youn Ok; Momin, Behnoosh; Hansen, Heather; Duke, Jennifer; Harms, Kristin; McCartney, Amanda; Neri, Antonio; Kahende, Jennifer; Zhang, Lei; Stewart, Sherri L

    2014-01-01

    Digital media are often used to encourage smoking cessation by increasing quitline call volume through direct promotion to smokers or indirect promotion to smoker proxies. The documentation of a program's experiences utilizing digital media is necessary to develop both the knowledge base and a set of best practices. This case study highlights the use of digital media in a proxy-targeted campaign to promote the California Smokers' Helpline to health care professionals from October 2009 to September 2012. We describe the iterative development of the campaign's digital media activities and report campaign summaries of web metrics (website visits, webinar registrations, downloads of online materials, online orders for promotional materials) and media buy (gross impressions) tracking data. The campaign generated more than 2.7 million gross impressions from digital media sources over 3 years. Online orders for promotional materials increased almost 40% over the course of the campaign. A clearly defined campaign strategy ensured that there was a systematic approach in developing and implementing campaign activities and ensuring that lessons learned from previous years were incorporated. Discussion includes lessons learned and recommendations for future improvements reported by campaign staff to inform similar efforts using digital media.

  10. Pictorial instrument of food and nutrition education for promoting healthy eating

    OpenAIRE

    MICALI,Flávia Gonçalves; DIEZ-GARCIA,Rosa Wanda

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT To trace the course of building a pictorial instrument that explores semiotic resources about food and nutrition education. The instrument is directed at the treatment and prevention of obesity, considering the food and nutrition problems of the Brazilian population. The criteria for photo production were: images that could cause visual impact and transmit applied nutrition information, insinuating positive and negative eating practices for promoting healthy eating, and preventing an...

  11. [Development of an evidence-based media campaign to promote walking among physically inactive women and increased physical activity among adults].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escalon, Hélène; Serry, Anne-Juliette; Nguyen-Thanh, Viêt; Vuillemin, Anne; Oppert, Jean-Michel; Sarrazin, Philippe; Verlhiac, Jean-Francois; Salanave, Benoît; Simon, Chantal; Tausan, Simona; Dailly, Olivier; Arwidson, Pierre

    2016-06-08

    This paper demonstrates the feasibility of developing a multimodal media campaign-based intervention to promote physical activity using theory, evidence and media campaign construction expertise. An evaluation of this media campaign and its various components is the next stage of this work..

  12. [Health promotion for long-term unemployed. Effects on motivation for a healthy lifestyle].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horns, K; Seeger, K; Heinmüller, M; Limm, H; Waldhoff, H-P; Salman, R; Gündel, H; Angerer, P

    2012-05-01

    Among the long-term unemployed ill health is often a hindrance to successful reintegration in the job market. In a quasi-experimental controlled study we examined the effects of a health promotion intervention program tailored to the specific needs of the long-term unemployed combining individual sessions based on motivational interviewing and participatory group sessions including physical activity. Over a period of 3 months the participants of the intervention group (n = 179) showed more improvement compared to the control group (n = 108) in terms of motivation for lifestyle changes towards more physical activity and healthier nutrition. Participants of the intervention group developed an intention to act significantly more often (active lifestyle: odds ratio 4.44; 95% CI: 2.00-9.83; healthy nutrition: odds ratio 3.94; 95% CI: 1.55-10.00) and actually implemented a behavior change significantly more often (active lifestyle: odds ratio 2.77; 95% CI: 1.35-5.71; healthy nutrition: odds ratio 4.34; 95% CI: 1.92-9.78). In terms of smoking and alcohol consumption no significant intervention effects were detected. The results of the study show the effectiveness of the described health promotion program regarding a lifestyle change towards more healthy nutrition and more physical activity.

  13. Healthy or Unhealthy on Sale? A cross-sectional study on the proportion of healthy and unhealthy foods promoted through flyer advertising by supermarkets in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ravensbergen, E.A.H.; Waterlander, W.E.; Kroeze, W.; Steenhuis, I.H.M.

    2015-01-01

    Background: It is generally assumed that supermarkets promote unhealthy foods more heavily than healthy foods. Promotional flyers could be an effective tool for encouraging healthier food choices; however, there is a lack of good-quality evidence on this topic. Therefore, the aim of this study was

  14. Effect of organic school meals to promote healthy diet in 11–13 year old children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    He, Chen; Breiting, Søren; Perez-Cuetoa, Federico J.A.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate whether organic school meals can be an effective strategy to pro- vide healthy food to children and promote their healthy eating habits. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine pupils’ attitudes predicting intention and behaviours in relation to organic food...... to consume organic food but not on their behaviour. In addition, all participants were willing to adopt healthier eating habits in the future both at school and in the home. These findings suggest that children attending schools where meals include organic ingredients might be more aware of healthy foods......, organic foods and healthy eating habits....

  15. The Hunger Games: Using hunger to promote healthy choices in self-control conflicts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Tracy T L; Kroese, Floor M; Fennis, Bob M; De Ridder, Denise T D

    2017-09-01

    The majority of existing research and conventional wisdom would advise against shopping on an empty stomach as hunger is assumed to encourage impulsive choices that typically lead to self-control failure (i.e., favouring short-term gratifications at the expense of long-term goals). Nonetheless, through two studies the current research aims to demonstrate that hungry consumers would not always be disadvantaged when encountering a self-control conflict involving a trade-off choice between a healthy vs. a more palatable but unhealthy choice. Particularly we posit that the choice outcome of the self-control conflict is dependent on contextual cues, such that hungry consumers with the tendency to make fast decisions could benefit from following a social proof heuristic promoting the healthy options. In Study 1, we indeed observed participants' self-reported hunger to be negatively associated with state self-control, but as most participants generally experienced low levels of hunger we did not observe apparent effects of hunger on food choice (DV), and correspondingly the potential influence of the social proof heuristic in moderating the choice outcome. However, in Study 2 where hunger was manipulated, we found hungry participants making significantly less healthy choices than satiated participants, but a social proof heuristic mitigated this effect (i.e., in the presence of social proof heuristic hungry participants made just as many healthy food choices as satiated participants; and hungry participants made more healthy choices in the social proof condition than in the no heuristic condition). These findings support our approach of providing contextual cues in the environment in order to work with, rather than against, the impulsivity triggered by hunger to promote successful self-control behaviours. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Social Media Interventions to Promote HIV Testing, Linkage, Adherence, and Retention: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Somya; Wang, Jiangtao; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B; Muessig, Kathryn E; Tang, Weiming; Pan, Stephen; Pendse, Razia; Tucker, Joseph D

    2017-01-01

    Background Social media is increasingly used to deliver HIV interventions for key populations worldwide. However, little is known about the specific uses and effects of social media on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) interventions. Objective This systematic review examines the effectiveness of social media interventions to promote HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and retention among key populations. Methods We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and Cochrane guidelines for this review and registered it on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO. We systematically searched six databases and three conference websites using search terms related to HIV, social media, and key populations. We included studies where (1) the intervention was created or implemented on social media platforms, (2) study population included men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals, people who inject drugs (PWID), and/or sex workers, and (3) outcomes included promoting HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and/or retention. Meta-analyses were conducted by Review Manager, version 5.3. Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by random-effects models. Results Among 981 manuscripts identified, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found 18 studies from high-income countries, 8 in middle-income countries, and 0 in low-income countries. Eight were randomized controlled trials, and 18 were observational studies. All studies (n=26) included MSM; five studies also included transgender individuals. The focus of 21 studies was HIV testing, four on HIV testing and linkage to care, and one on antiretroviral therapy adherence. Social media interventions were used to do the following: build online interactive communities to encourage HIV testing/adherence (10 studies), provide HIV testing services (9 studies), disseminate HIV information (9 studies), and develop

  17. Promoting Healthy Work for Employees with Chronic Illness : Analysis of Models of Good Practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kristin ten Have; Anja Dijkman; Dr. Rob Gründemann; Cees Wevers

    2012-01-01

    The ENWHP project and campaign Promoting Healthy Work for Employees with Chronic Illness (PH Work) should contribute towards the implementation of effective workplace health practices within corporate policies of enterprises in Europe. More specific the project should stimulate activities and

  18. A treat for the eyes. An eye-tracking study on children's attention to unhealthy and healthy food cues in media content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spielvogel, Ines; Matthes, Jörg; Naderer, Brigitte; Karsay, Kathrin

    2018-06-01

    Based on cue reactivity theory, food cues embedded in media content can lead to physiological and psychological responses in children. Research suggests that unhealthy food cues are represented more extensively and interactively in children's media environments than healthy ones. However, it is not clear to this date whether children react differently to unhealthy compared to healthy food cues. In an experimental study with 56 children (55.4% girls; M age  = 8.00, SD = 1.58), we used eye-tracking to determine children's attention to unhealthy and healthy food cues embedded in a narrative cartoon movie. Besides varying the food type (i.e., healthy vs. unhealthy), we also manipulated the integration levels of food cues with characters (i.e., level of food integration; no interaction vs. handling vs. consumption), and we assessed children's individual susceptibility factors by measuring the impact of their hunger level. Our results indicated that unhealthy food cues attract children's visual attention to a larger extent than healthy cues. However, their initial visual interest did not differ between unhealthy and healthy food cues. Furthermore, an increase in the level of food integration led to an increase in visual attention. Our findings showed no moderating impact of hunger. We conclude that especially unhealthy food cues with an interactive connection trigger cue reactivity in children. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Adolescents’ Responses to a School-Based Prevention Program Promoting Healthy Eating at School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roel C. J. Hermans

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundTo improve the effectiveness of school-based programs that aim to promote adolescents’ healthy food choices, it is essential to understand the views and behaviors of the target group. This study aimed to get a better understanding of adolescents’ food and health perceptions and their willingness to be involved in a specific school-based prevention program, i.e., the Dutch “Healthy School Canteen Program.”MethodsThis study used a mixed-methods research design. First, seven semi-structured focus groups were conducted using a selective sample of 42 Dutch adolescents (25 girls, 17 boys, aged 13–16 years. Second, an online survey among 133 adolescent respondents (72 girls, 61 boys, aged 12–19 years using snowball sampling was conducted. Content analysis was performed to make inferences about the focus group discussions, whereas statistical analyses were conducted to analyze the survey data.ResultsFindings from the group discussions indicated that healthy eating was only an issue of importance when adolescents perceived negative physical changes (e.g., with regard to looks or physical performance. Adolescents also indicated that they clearly wanted to make their own food and beverage choices at school. The quantitative data indicated that taste, price, and variety were seen as the most important aspects of a healthy food assortment (mean scores 8.1, 7.8, and 7.7 on a 10-point scale, respectively. In general, a majority of the adolescents (64% expressed that students should be involved in the organization of a healthy food environment in schools. At the same time, however, adolescents were not willing to participate themselves. This was mostly because they were skeptical about their ideas being heard and put into action by their schools.ConclusionSchool-based prevention programs, such as the Healthy School Program, should take into account that adolescents have a low risk perception of unhealthy eating and are seeking food

  20. Healthy Bread Initiative: Methods, Findings, and Theories—Isfahan Healthy Heart Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talaei, Mohammad; Khaje, Mohammad-Reza; Sarrafzadegan, Nizal; Sajjadi, Firoozeh; Alikhasi, Hasan; Maghroun, Maryam; Iraji, Farhad; Ehteshami, Shahram

    2013-01-01

    The scientific evidences show that the content, baking methods, and types of bread can make health impacts. Bread, as a major part of Iranian diet, demonstrates a significant potential to be targeted as health promotion subject. Healthy Food for Healthy Communities (HFHC) was a project of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), consisting of a wide variety of strategies, like Healthy Bread (HB) Initiative. The HB Initiative was designed to improve the behaviour of both producers and consumers, mainly aiming at making high-fibre, low-salt bread, eliminating the use of baking soda, providing enough rest time for dough before baking (at least one hour), and enough baking time (at least one minute in oven). A workshop was held for volunteer bakers, and a baker-to-baker training protocol under direct supervision was designed for future volunteers. Cereal Organization was persuaded to provide less refined flour that contained more bran. Health messages in support of new breads were disseminated by media and at bakeries by health professionals. Evaluation of the HB Initiative was done using before-after assessments and population surveys. While HB was baked in 1 (0.01%) bakery at baseline, 402 (41%) bakeries in the intervention area joined the HB Initiative in 2009. Soda was completely eliminated and fibre significantly increased from 4±0.4 g% before study to 12±0.6 g% after the intervention (p<0.001). The preparation and baking times remarkably increased. Wastage of bread decreased from 13±1.8 g% to 2±0.5 g% and was expressed as the most important advantage of this initiative by consumers. People who lived in Isfahan city consumed whole bread 6 times more than those who lived in reference area Arak (p<0.001). The HB Initiative managed to add new breads as a healthy choice that were compatible with local dishes and made a model to solve the long-standing problems of bread. It used various health promotion approaches but was best consistent with Beattie's model. PMID

  1. Using Social Media to Identify Sources of Healthy Food in Urban Neighborhoods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez-Lopez, Iris N; Clarke, Philippa; Hill, Alex B; Romero, Daniel M; Goodspeed, Robert; Berrocal, Veronica J; Vinod Vydiswaran, V G; Veinot, Tiffany C

    2017-06-01

    An established body of research has used secondary data sources (such as proprietary business databases) to demonstrate the importance of the neighborhood food environment for multiple health outcomes. However, documenting food availability using secondary sources in low-income urban neighborhoods can be particularly challenging since small businesses play a crucial role in food availability. These small businesses are typically underrepresented in national databases, which rely on secondary sources to develop data for marketing purposes. Using social media and other crowdsourced data to account for these smaller businesses holds promise, but the quality of these data remains unknown. This paper compares the quality of full-line grocery store information from Yelp, a crowdsourced content service, to a "ground truth" data set (Detroit Food Map) and a commercially-available dataset (Reference USA) for the greater Detroit area. Results suggest that Yelp is more accurate than Reference USA in identifying healthy food stores in urban areas. Researchers investigating the relationship between the nutrition environment and health may consider Yelp as a reliable and valid source for identifying sources of healthy food in urban environments.

  2. Pd-catalyzed ethylene methoxycarbonylation with Brønsted acid ionic liquids as promoter and phase-separable reaction media

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garcia-Suarez, Eduardo J.; Khokarale, Santosh Govind; Nguyen van Buu, Olivier

    2014-01-01

    Brønsted acid ionic liquids (BAILs) were prepared and applied as combined acid promoters and reaction media in Pd–phosphine catalyzed methoxycarbonylation of ethylene to produce methyl propionate. The BAILs served as alternatives to common mineral acids required for the reaction, e.g. methanesulf......Brønsted acid ionic liquids (BAILs) were prepared and applied as combined acid promoters and reaction media in Pd–phosphine catalyzed methoxycarbonylation of ethylene to produce methyl propionate. The BAILs served as alternatives to common mineral acids required for the reaction, e...

  3. Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-11-01

    This policy statement focuses on children and adolescents 5 through 18 years of age. Research suggests both benefits and risks of media use for the health of children and teenagers. Benefits include exposure to new ideas and knowledge acquisition, increased opportunities for social contact and support, and new opportunities to access health-promotion messages and information. Risks include negative health effects on weight and sleep; exposure to inaccurate, inappropriate, or unsafe content and contacts; and compromised privacy and confidentiality. Parents face challenges in monitoring their children's and their own media use and in serving as positive role models. In this new era, evidence regarding healthy media use does not support a one-size-fits-all approach. Parents and pediatricians can work together to develop a Family Media Use Plan (www.healthychildren.org/MediaUsePlan) that considers their children's developmental stages to individualize an appropriate balance for media time and consistent rules about media use, to mentor their children, to set boundaries for accessing content and displaying personal information, and to implement open family communication about media. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  4. Body image in the mass media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Iris Bazán

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The concern about weight that characterizes most modern women stemmed from the medical research that showed the relationship between obesity and diseases such as hypertension or cardiovascular disease. As shown by the American filmmaker Michael Moore in his documentary film “Sicko” in 2007, large US health companies financially rewarded those with a thinner body and sanctioned overweight people because they had higher risks of disease and thus generate losses to their companies. From there, the emphasis on weight control and low-calorie dieting -and its association with health- reached unexpected limits. Mass Media had and have a leading role on this growing concern about weight. This article analyzes the effects of media on the aesthetic / healthy ideal, which contribute to the construction of a woman captured by endless demands. These social requirements are associated with perfection, the predominance of the aesthetic, healthy body and eternal youth, which would guarantee success. What relationship have television, women’s magazines, Internet, advertising and even children’s toys with the expansion of “the culture of light”, the ideal body and healthy behavior are some of the questions that will be addressed in this Article. To contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon, we will make a bibliographic and Media exploration. Finally, as a possible solution to the problem, a strategy of state intervention on the current market model for promoting good use of information and prevention of Eating Disorders and other diseases related to poor diet is proposed. 

  5. Combining balneotherapy and health promotion to promote active and healthy ageing: the Balaruc-MACVIA-LR® approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blain, H; Bernard, P L; Canovas, G; Raffort, N; Desfour, H; Soriteau, L; Noguès, M; Camuzat, T; Mercier, J; Dupeyron, A; Quéré, I; Laffont, I; Hérisson, C; Solimene, H; Bousquet, J

    2016-12-01

    Scaling up and replication of successful innovative integrated care models for chronic diseases is one of the targets of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA). MACVIA-LR ® (MAladies Chroniques pour un VIeillissement Actif en Languedoc-Roussillon) is a Reference Site of the EIP on AHA. The main objective of MACVIA-LR ® is to develop innovative solutions in order to (1) improve the care of patients affected by chronic diseases, (2) reduce avoidable hospitalization and (3) scale up the innovation to regions of Europe. The MACVIA-LR ® project also aims to assess all possible aspects of medicine-including non-pharmacologic approaches-in order to maintain health and prevent chronic diseases. These approaches include hydrotherapy and balneotherapy which can be of great importance if health promotion strategies are considered. Balneotherapy at Balaruc-les-Bains focusses on musculoskeletal diseases and chronic venous insufficiency of the lower limbs. Each year, over 46,000 people attend an 18-day course related to a new falls prevention initiative combining balneotherapy and education. On arrival, each person receives a flyer providing information on the risk of fall and, depending on this risk, a course is proposed combining education and physical activity. A pilot study assesses the impact of the course 6 and 12 months later. This health promotion strategy for active and healthy ageing follows the FEMTEC (World Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy) concept.

  6. Social media interventions for diet and exercise behaviours: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Gillian; Hamm, Michele P; Shulhan, Jocelyn; Vandermeer, Ben; Hartling, Lisa

    2014-02-12

    To conduct a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining the use of social media to promote healthy diet and exercise in the general population. MEDLINE, CENTRAL, ERIC, PubMed, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, Alt Health Watch, Health Source, Communication and Mass Media Complete, Web of Knowledge and ProQuest Dissertation and Thesis (2000-2013). RCTs of social media interventions promoting healthy diet and exercise behaviours in the general population were eligible. Interventions using social media, alone or as part of a complex intervention, were included. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. We describe the studies according to the target populations, objectives and nature of interventions, outcomes examined, and results and conclusions. We extracted data on the primary and secondary outcomes examined in each study. Where the same outcome was assessed in at least three studies, we combined data in a meta-analysis. 22 studies were included. Participants were typically middle-aged Caucasian women of mid-to-high socioeconomic status. There were a variety of interventions, comparison groups and outcomes. All studies showed a decrease in programme usage throughout the intervention period. Overall, no significant differences were found for primary outcomes which varied across studies. Meta-analysis showed no significant differences in changes in physical activity (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.13 (95% CI -0.04 to 0.30), 12 studies) and weight (SMD -0.00 (95% CI -0.19 to 0.19), 10 studies); however, pooled results from five studies showed a significant decrease in dietary fat consumption with social media (SMD -0.35 (95% CI -0.68 to -0.02)). Social media may provide certain advantages for public health interventions; however, studies of social media interventions to date relating to healthy lifestyles tend to show low levels of participation and do not show significant differences between groups in key outcomes.

  7. Promoting health: media advocacy opportunities in English- and Spanish-language masthead editorials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lingas, Elena O

    2013-01-01

    This study examines two newspapers' editorial coverage of issues related to the Healthy People 2010 focus areas and compares the two newspapers. A qualitative study. Two Los Angeles, California, newspapers. The masthead editorials of the Los Angeles Times and La Opinión in the year following the release of Healthy People 2010. A structured data abstraction instrument was used for descriptive coding. Correspondence to 1 of the 28 Healthy People 2010 focus areas determined whether domestic editorials were about health. An ethnographic content analysis. There were 1075 editorials from the Los Angeles Times and 361 from La Opinión; 17% were focused on domestic health issues. Three Healthy People 2010 focus areas dominated: Environmental Health, Injury and Violence Prevention, and Access to Quality Health Services. Ten focus areas did not receive a single mention in the Los Angeles Times, and 19 focus areas lacked editorials in La Opinión. Editorial writers regularly tackled issues related to a Healthy People 2010 focus area. Public health practitioners can meet with their local newspaper editorial board and discuss the nation's health objectives as manifested by Healthy People 2020 and the National Prevention Strategy, thereby promoting policies that support individual and population health.

  8. Offering variety: a subtle manipulation to promote healthy food choice throughout the day.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, Rachel J; Rothman, Alexander J

    2015-05-01

    Providing a variety of food generally increases consumption and enjoyment. This effect is typically associated with unhealthy behavior (e.g., overindulgence at a buffet) and studied during a single meal. Two studies tested whether this effect can be leveraged in a subtle, simple manipulation to promote healthy food choices over the course of a day. In Studies 1 and 2, 188 and 187 participants, respectively, chose between a sweet and a piece of fruit in the afternoon. The fruit was either the same as or different from fruit that was selected in the morning; choice was not given in the morning. Study 1 tested this effect in the domain of expressed preferences and Study 2 examined actual choice. In both studies, a second piece of fruit was more likely to be selected in the afternoon if it was different from fruit that was selected in the morning. These results illustrate how a robust effect that is typically associated with unhealthy outcomes can be harnessed to promote healthy food choices and underscore the importance of conceptualizing eating as a series of interrelated behavioral decisions. This work has implications for applied settings, such as cafeterias, and is distinguished from other simple structural manipulations by its focus on sustaining healthy food choice over the course of the day. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. Smart Device-Based Notifications to Promote Healthy Behavior Related to Childhood Obesity and Overweight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo López

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century and it is a threat to the life of people according to World Health Organization. In this scenario, family environment is important to establish healthy habits which help to reduce levels of obesity and control overweight in children. However, little efforts have been focused on helping parents to promote and have healthy lifestyles. In this paper, we present two smart device-based notification prototypes to promote healthy behavior with the aim of avoiding childhood overweight and obesity. The first prototype helps parents to follow a healthy snack routine, based on a nutritionist suggestion. Using a fridge magnet, parents receive graphical reminders of which snacks they and their children should consume. The second prototype provides a graphical reminder that prevents parents from forgetting the required equipment to practice sports. Prototypes were evaluated by nine nutritionists from three countries (Costa Rica, Mexico and Spain. Evaluations were based on anticipation of use and the ergonomics of human–system interaction according to the ISO 9241-210. Results show that the system is considered useful. Even though they might not be willing to use the system, they would recommend it to their patients. Based on the ISO 9241-210 the best ranked features were the system’s comprehensibility, the perceived effectiveness and clarity. The worst ranked features were the system’s suitability for learning and its discriminability.

  10. Cross-media advertising: brand promotion in an age of media convergence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voorveld, H.; Smit, E.; Neijens, P.; Diehl, S.; Karmasin, M.

    2013-01-01

    Cross-media advertising, in which more than one medium platform is used to communicate related brand content, has become widespread. Several reasons for cross-media strategies can be distinguished: target group extension, complementary effects, repetition, and synergy. Media synergy—the added value

  11. Implementing healthy lifestyle promotion in primary care: a quasi-experimental cross-sectional study evaluating a team initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Kristin; Krevers, Barbro; Bendtsen, Preben

    2015-01-22

    Non-communicable diseases are a leading cause of death and can largely be prevented by healthy lifestyles. Health care organizations are encouraged to integrate healthy lifestyle promotion in routine care. This study evaluates the impact of a team initiative on healthy lifestyle promotion in primary care. A quasi-experimental, cross-sectional design compared three intervention centres that had implemented lifestyle teams with three control centres that used a traditional model of care. Outcomes were defined using the RE-AIM framework: reach, the proportion of patients receiving lifestyle promotion; effectiveness, self-reported attitudes and competency among staff; adoption, proportion of staff reporting regular practice of lifestyle promotion; implementation, fidelity to the original lifestyle team protocol. Data collection methods included a patient questionnaire (n = 888), a staff questionnaire (n = 120) and structured interviews with all practice managers and, where applicable, team managers (n = 8). The chi square test and problem-driven content analysis was used to analyse the questionnaire and interview data, respectively. Reach: patients at control centres (48%, n = 211) received lifestyle promotion significantly more often compared with patients at intervention centres (41%, n = 169). Effectiveness: intervention staff was significantly more positive towards the effectiveness of lifestyle promotion, shared competency and how lifestyle promotion was prioritized at their centre. Adoption: 47% of staff at intervention centres and 58% at control centres reported that they asked patients about their lifestyle on a daily basis. all intervention centres had implemented multi-professional teams and team managers and held regular meetings but struggled to implement in-house referral structures for lifestyle promotion, which was used consistently among staff. Intervention centres did not show higher rates than control centres on reach of patients

  12. "A good spot": Health promotion discourse, healthy cities and heterogeneity in contemporary Denmark.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Eva Ladekjaer; Manderson, Lenore

    2009-06-01

    Health promotion at a community level has gained popularity in recent decades within and outside academic environments. The health promotion discourse is part of a wider political discourse, aimed at empowering individuals to take control of their own lives and enabling them to be engaged, responsible and active citizens in their own communities. Key values of the discourse, deriving from a democratic and individualistic culture, are evident in how local authorities develop and implement policies aimed at promoting population health and wellbeing. In this article, we draw on data from a relatively poor multicultural Danish community incorporated in the WHO Healthy Cities Programme. We explore how key terms of the health promoting discourse are constructed, operationalized and resisted by different subgroups. The contradictions that emerge challenge how we comprehend communities in relation to safety and harmony, and how people within defined communities are involved in common community life.

  13. Social Media Interventions to Promote HIV Testing, Linkage, Adherence, and Retention: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Bolin; Gupta, Somya; Wang, Jiangtao; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B; Muessig, Kathryn E; Tang, Weiming; Pan, Stephen; Pendse, Razia; Tucker, Joseph D

    2017-11-24

    Social media is increasingly used to deliver HIV interventions for key populations worldwide. However, little is known about the specific uses and effects of social media on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) interventions. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of social media interventions to promote HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and retention among key populations. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and Cochrane guidelines for this review and registered it on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO. We systematically searched six databases and three conference websites using search terms related to HIV, social media, and key populations. We included studies where (1) the intervention was created or implemented on social media platforms, (2) study population included men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals, people who inject drugs (PWID), and/or sex workers, and (3) outcomes included promoting HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and/or retention. Meta-analyses were conducted by Review Manager, version 5.3. Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by random-effects models. Among 981 manuscripts identified, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found 18 studies from high-income countries, 8 in middle-income countries, and 0 in low-income countries. Eight were randomized controlled trials, and 18 were observational studies. All studies (n=26) included MSM; five studies also included transgender individuals. The focus of 21 studies was HIV testing, four on HIV testing and linkage to care, and one on antiretroviral therapy adherence. Social media interventions were used to do the following: build online interactive communities to encourage HIV testing/adherence (10 studies), provide HIV testing services (9 studies), disseminate HIV information (9 studies), and develop intervention materials (1 study). Of the

  14. Social media in the promotion of health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matikainen, Janne; Huovila, Janne

    Social media has brought about a major change in communication. Besides ordinary people, the change applies to organizations and public authorities. In the social media, the public becomes an active player and content provider. With social media, communication will become increasingly media-centered. The change in communication scenery has challenged traditional expertise. On the other hand, social media also opens up many possibilities for the establishment of expertise and health communication. Within the social media, communities can become significant sites for the production of knowledge and expertise. They may generate useful activity as regards the combination of health information activities and everyday life, but sometimes they can also become a cradle of false information. In its various forms, social media provides a versatile forum for health communication, where people can be met interactively.

  15. Earth Matters: Promoting Science Exploration through Blogs and Social Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, K.; Voiland, A. P.; Carlowicz, M. J.; Simmon, R. B.; Allen, J.; Scott, M.; Przyborski, P. D.

    2012-12-01

    NASA's Earth Observatory (EO) is a 13-year old online publication focusing on the communication of NASA Earth science research, including climate change, weather, geology, oceanography, and solar flares. We serve two primary audiences: the "attentive public"--people interested in and willing to seek out information about science, technology, and the environment--and popular media. We use the EO website (earthobservatory.nasa.gov) to host a variety of content including image-driven stories (natural events and research-based), articles featuring NASA research and, more recently, blogs that give us the ability to increase interaction with our users. For much of our site's history, our communication has been largely one way, and we have relied primarily on traditional online marketing techniques such as RSS and email listservs. As the information ecosystem evolves into one in which many users expect to play a more active role in distributing and even developing content through social media, we've experimented with various social media outlets (blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.) that offer new opportunities for people to interact with NASA data, scientists, and the EO editorial team. As part of our explorations, we are learning about how, and to what extent, these outlets can be used for interaction and outright promotion and how to achieve those goals with existing personnel and resources.

  16. Promoting Healthy Development among Adolescent Girls: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of the HERstory Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily MacFarlane

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The Leadership Program’s HERstory is a school-based, universal, preventative intervention designed to promote healthy youth development among adolescent girls by increasing their connections to pro-social peers and to school and community while developing social-emotional skills that serve as protective factors. In this school-year-long program, a facilitator implements three program phases: group development activities in Community Building, self-reflective Writing Workshop exercises, and a final Creative Output project, an ethnographic theater production or literary journal developed from participants’ Writing Workshop responses. The current mixed-methods study presents early evidence of program effectiveness based on focus groups and school record data review at two NYC public schools during the 2010-2011 school year. Participants reported improvements in key areas targeted by HERstory, including peer connectedness, academic achievement, and a range of protective factors including future orientation and goal setting. Results suggest this program approach may be suitable promoting healthy adolescent development for girls.

  17. Smartphone Applications for Promoting Healthy Diet and Nutrition: A Literature Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coughlin, Steven S.; Whitehead, Mary; Sheats, Joyce Q.; Mastromonico, Jeff; Hardy, Dale; Smith, Selina A.

    2015-01-01

    Background Rapid developments in technology have encouraged the use of smartphones in health promotion research and practice. Although many applications (apps) relating to diet and nutrition are available from major smartphone platforms, relatively few have been tested in research studies in order to determine their effectiveness in promoting health. Methods In this article, we summarize data on the use of smartphone applications for promoting healthy diet and nutrition based upon bibliographic searches in PubMed and CINAHL with relevant search terms pertaining to diet, nutrition, and weight loss through August 2015. Results A total of 193 articles were identified in the bibliographic searches. By screening abstracts or full-text articles, a total of three relevant qualitative studies and 9 randomized controlled trials were identified. In qualitative studies, participants preferred applications that were quick and easy to administer, and those that increase awareness of food intake and weight management. In randomized trials, the use of smartphone apps was associated with better dietary compliance for lower calorie, low fat, and high fiber foods, and higher physical activity levels (p=0.01-0.02) which resulted in more weight loss (p=0.042-<0.0001). Discussion Future studies should utilize randomized controlled trial research designs, larger sample sizes, and longer study periods to better establish the diet and nutrition intervention capabilities of smartphones. There is a need for culturally appropriate, tailored health messages to increase knowledge and awareness of health behaviors such as healthy eating. Smartphone apps are likely to be a useful and low-cost intervention for improving diet and nutrition and addressing obesity in the general population. Participants prefer applications that are quick and easy to administer and those that increase awareness of food intake and weight management. PMID:26819969

  18. Engaging cultural resources to promote mental health in Dutch LSES neighborhoods: study of a community-based participatory media project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knibbe, Mare; de Vries, Marten; Horstman, Klasien

    2017-06-01

    Community-based participatory media projects form a promising new strategy for mental health promotion that can help address the mental health-gap identified by the World Health Organization. (2008b) mhGAP, Mental Health Gap Action Programme: Scaling Up Care for Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders. World Health Organization, Geneva. In this article we present an ethnographic study about a participatory media project that was developed to promote mental health in selected Dutch low socio-economic status neighborhoods. Through narrowcastings (group film viewings), participant observation and interviews we mapped the ways in which the media project effected and facilitated the collective sense-making process of the audience with regard to sources of stress impacting mental health and opportunities for action. These determinants of mental health are shaped by cultural dimensions, since the cultural context shapes everyday experiences of stress as well as the resources and skills to manage them. Our analysis shows that the media project engaged cultural resources to challenge stressful social scripts. We conclude that more attention should be paid to cultural narratives in a community to understand how health promotion strategies can support social resilience. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Promotion and Prevention Focused Feeding Strategies: Exploring the Effects on Healthy and Unhealthy Child Eating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth L. Melbye

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available There is a general lack of research addressing the motivations behind parental use of various feeding practices. Therefore, the present work aims to extend the current literature on parent-child feeding interactions by integrating the traditional developmental psychological perspective on feeding practices with elements of Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT derived from the field of motivational psychology. In this paper, we seek to explain associations between parental feeding practices and child (unhealthy eating behaviors by categorizing parental feeding practices into promotion and prevention focused strategies, thus exploring parent-child feeding interactions within the framework of RFT. Our analyses partly supported the idea that (1 child healthy eating is positively associated with feeding practices characterized as promotion focused, and (2 child unhealthy eating is negatively associated with feeding practices characterized as prevention focused. However, a general observation following from our results suggests that parents’ major driving forces behind reducing children’s consumption of unhealthy food items and increasing their consumption of healthy food items are strategies that motivate rather than restrict. In particular, parents’ provision of a healthy home food environment seems to be essential for child eating.

  20. Innovative approaches to using new media and technology in health promotion for adolescents and young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyden, Christel; Cohall, Alwyn

    2011-12-01

    Over the past decade, new technology and media have changed the way we communicate, access information, and share content with one another. Most 12- to 17-year-olds now own cell phones, and most adolescents and young adults spend several hours per day on computers and cell phones. The American Academy of Pediatrics now encourages all pediatricians to increase their knowledge of new media and technology. This article details technology access among adolescents and young adults, highlights several current and potential innovative applications for new technology and social networking in health promotion, and discusses issues to consider as practitioners move toward integrating new media into clinical and health education settings.

  1. Attitudes and Acceptability of Behavior Change Techniques to Promote Healthy Food Choices Among Danish Adolescents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørnberg, Trine; Skov, Laurits Rohden; Houlby, Louise

    2016-01-01

    This study addressed attitudes of using nudging-like measures in community schools to promote healthy food choices among Danish adolescents. Data were successfully collected for 408 respondents. The next step was to prepare descriptive statistics and conduct factor analysis and structural equatio...... it to be acceptable for the school to attempt to intervene with their health-related behavior, but respondents saw it as neither the school's obligation nor responsibility. School-based health promotion could benefit from these findings....

  2. Promoting Media Literacy’ as Practicing “Media Reform”: Reflecting on Personal Experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui-Ju Tsai

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper assesses conceptions and practices in critical media literacy. In particular, it focuses on teaching experience and the processes which combine the educator’s reflection of theories of the ‘public sphere’, ‘media literacy’, and ‘communication civil rights’. The paper is divided into three main parts. The first of four sections will briefly cover the history of media reform and the relationship between the media reform movement and critical media literacy lessons in community colleges. It will connect this to the idea of ‘turn to the public’. The meaning and position of ‘media literacy’ in the broad media reform movement will also be analyzed. Following this, in the second section, conceptualizations of the ‘public sphere’, ‘public pedagogy’, and ‘critical media literacy pedagogy’ will be developed. Finally, three stages of the lesson design and practical interactions will be examined dialectically. In particular, the community college field research on my teaching experience will be described in the third section, and the suggestions, reflections and conclusions from the research will be examined in the last section.

  3. Using Mobile Apps to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle Among Adolescents and Students: A Review of the Theoretical Basis and Lessons Learned.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dute, Denise Jantine; Bemelmans, Wanda Jose Erika; Breda, João

    2016-05-05

    European adolescents and students tend to have low levels of physical activity and eat unhealthy foods, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased, which poses a public health challenge. Mobile apps play an important role in their daily lives, suggesting their potential to be used in health-promoting strategies. This review aimed to explore how mobile apps can contribute to the promotion of healthy nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of overweight in adolescents and students. For the apps identified, the review describes the content, the theoretical mechanisms applied, and lessons learned. The databases Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched for English-language publications from January 2009 to November 2013. Studies were included if (1) the primary component of the intervention involves an app; (2) the intervention targets healthy nutrition, or physical activity, or overweight prevention; and (3) the target group included adolescents or students (aged 12-25 years). A total of 15 studies were included, which describe 12 unique apps. Ten of these apps functioned as monitoring tools for assessing dietary intake or physical activity levels. The other apps used a Web-based platform to challenge users to exercise and to allow users to list and photograph their problem foods. For 5 apps, the behavioral theory underpinning their development was clearly specified. Frequently applied behavior change techniques are prompting self-monitoring of behavior and providing feedback on performance. Apps can function self-contained, but most of them are used as part of therapy or to strengthen school programs. From the age of 10 years users may be capable of using apps. Only 4 apps were developed specifically for adolescents. All apps were tested on a small scale and for a short period. Despite large potential and abundant usage by young people, limited research is available on apps and health promotion for adolescents. Apps seem to be a

  4. THE PRINCIPALS’ ROLE IN DEVELOPING SOCIAL CAPITAL FORTHE PROMOTION OF HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siphokazi Kwatubana

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Schoolleaders’ individual and collective efforts are essential in the promotion ofhealthy school environments. In this respect, the building of social capital is veryimportant for a school’s improvement. The aim of this paper was to determine therole principals played in developing social capital to enhance healthy schoolenvironments. The study was conducted in two districts, one in the Gauteng andthe other in the Free State provinces of South Africa. It was undertaken as aqualitative research study that involved seven participants. Data collectionstrategies employed included narratives, individual interviews and field notes. Thestudy was considered important in its application of the social capital theory todetermine the role of principals in solicitingeconomic resources for their schools.From the findings, the main challenge that was common in all the participatingschools was the lack of resources for the Promotion ofHealthySchoolEnvironments. It was found that some principals were able to identify andapproach companies that could assist their schools but were then unable to buildtrusting relationships. In view of the findings, this research recommendstrainingto equip principals with skills to enable them tomobilise resources by takingadvantage ofsocial capitalin their communities.

  5. Children's Media Policy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Amy B.

    2008-01-01

    Amy Jordan addresses the need to balance the media industry's potentially important contributions to the healthy development of America's children against the consequences of excessive and age-inappropriate media exposure. Much of the philosophical tension regarding how much say the government should have about media content and delivery stems…

  6. Promoting Healthy Growth or Feeding Obesity? The Need for Evidence-Based Oversight of Infant Nutritional Supplement Claims

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michelle Lampl

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD model recognizes growth in infancy and childhood as a fundamental determinant of lifespan health. Evidence of long-term health risks among small neonates who subsequently grow rapidly poses a challenge for interventions aiming to support healthy growth, not merely drive weight gain. Defining healthy growth beyond “getting bigger” is essential as infant and young child feeding industries expand. Liquid-based nutritional supplements, originally formulated for undernourished children, are increasingly marketed for and consumed by children generally. Clarifying the nature of the evidentiary base on which structure/function claims promotinghealthy growth” are constructed is important to curb invalid generalizations. Evidence points to changing social beliefs and cultural practices surrounding supplementary feeding, raising specific concerns about the long-term health consequences of an associated altered feeding culture, including reduced dietary variety and weight gain. Reassessing the evidence for and relevance of dietary supplements’ “promoting healthy growth” claims for otherwise healthy children is both needed in a time of global obesity and an opportunity to refine intervention approaches among small children for whom rapid subsequent growth in early life augments risk for chronic disease. Scientific and health care partnerships are needed to consider current governmental oversight shortfalls in protecting vulnerable populations from overconsumption. This is important because we may be doing more harm than good.

  7. Economic costs and benefits of promoting healthy takeaway meals at workplace canteens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård; Mørkbak, Morten Raun; Nordström, Leif Jonas

    2012-01-01

    to assess the net society costs and benefits associated with an extended use of canteen takeaway meals as a health promotion strategy. The results show that employees have a positive willingness to pay for health attributes in canteen takeaway meals, but with a minority having a highly negative willingness......Canteen Takeaway is a novel concept, which entails workplace canteens to utilise existing production capacity to supply packaged meals for employees to bring home. The concept has a potential to raise the average nutritional quality of employees' diets. The purpose of the study is to assess...... to pay for the canteen takeaway concept. The potential health effects of a healthy canteen takeaway programme are estimated to be positive, but modest in magnitude. The estimated costs of providing healthy canteen takeaway meals exceed the sum of average direct and indirect benefits. In conclusion...

  8. Economic costs and benefits of promoting healthy takeaway meals at workplace canteens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård; Mørkbak, Morten Raun; Nordström, Leif Jonas

    to assess the net society costs and benefits associated with an extended use of canteen takeaway meals as a health promotion strategy. The results show that employees have a positive willingness to pay for health attributes in canteen takeaway meals, but with a minority having a highly negative willingness......Canteen Takeaway is a novel concept, which entails workplace canteens to utilise existing production capacity to supply packaged meals for employees to bring home. The concept has a potential to raise the average nutritional quality of employees' diets. The purpose of the study is to assess...... to pay for the canteen takeaway concept. The potential health effects of a healthy canteen takeaway programme are estimated to be positive, but modest in magnitude. The estimated costs of providing healthy canteen takeaway meals exceed the sum of average direct and indirect benefits. In conclusion...

  9. Eating Well While Dining Out: Collaborating with Local Restaurants to Promote Heart Healthy Menu Items

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thayer, Linden M.; Pimentel, Daniela C.; Smith, Janice C.; Garcia, Beverly A.; Lee Sylvester, Laura; Kelly, Tammy; Johnston, Larry F.; Ammerman, Alice S.; Keyserling, Thomas C.

    2017-01-01

    Background As Americans commonly consume restaurant foods with poor dietary quality, effective interventions are needed to improve food choices at restaurants. Purpose To design and evaluate a restaurant-based intervention to help customers select and restaurants promote heart healthy menu items with healthful fats and high quality carbohydrates. Methods The intervention included table tents outlining 10 heart healthy eating tips, coupons promoting healthy menu items, an information brochure, and link to study website. Pre and post intervention surveys were completed by restaurant managers and customers completed a brief “intercept” survey. Results Managers (n = 10) reported the table tents and coupons were well received, and several noted improved personal nutrition knowledge. Overall, 4214 coupons were distributed with 1244 (30%) redeemed. Of 300 customers surveyed, 126 (42%) noticed the table tents and of these, 115 (91%) considered the nutrition information helpful, 42 (33%) indicated the information influenced menu items purchased, and 91 (72%) reported the information will influence what they order in the future. Discussion The intervention was well-received by restaurant managers and positively influenced menu item selection by many customers. Translation to Health Education Practice Further research is needed to assess effective strategies for scaling up and sustaining this intervention approach. PMID:28947925

  10. Perceptions of nursery staff and parent views of healthy eating promotion in preschool settings: an exploratory qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McSweeney, Lorraine A; Rapley, Tim; Summerbell, Carolyn D; Haighton, Catherine A; Adamson, Ashley J

    2016-08-19

    In the UK just over a fifth of all children start school overweight or obese and overweight 2-5 year olds are at least 4 times more likely to become overweight adults. This can lead to serious future health problems. The WHO have recently highlighted the preschool years as a critical time for obesity prevention, and have recommended preschools as an ideal setting for intervention. However, existing evidence suggests that the preschool environment, including the knowledge, beliefs and practices of preschool staff and parents of young children attending nurseries can be a barrier to the successful implementation of healthy eating interventions in this setting. This study examined the perceptions of preschool centre staff and parents' of preschool children of healthy eating promotion within preschool settings. The participants were preschool staff working in private and local authority preschool centres in the North East of England, and parents of preschool children aged 3-4 years. Preschool staff participated in semi-structured interviews (n = 16 female, 1 male). Parents completed a mapping activity interview (n = 14 mothers, 1 father). Thematic analysis was applied to interpret the findings. Complex communication issues surrounding preschool centre dietary 'rules' were apparent. The staff were keen to promote healthy eating to families and felt that parents needed 'education' and 'help'. The staff emphasised that school policies prohibited providing children with sugary or fatty snacks such as crisps, cakes, sweets and 'fizzy' drinks, however, some preschool centres appeared to have difficulty enforcing such guidelines. Parents were open to the idea of healthy eating promotion in preschool settings but were wary of being 'told what to do' and being thought of as 'bad parents'. There is a need to further explore nursery staff members' personal perceptions of health and how food policies which promote healthier food in preschool settings can be embedded and

  11. Eating Healthy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... There is much we can do to promote healthy eating habits. Together we can prevent or delay onset of diabetes, obesity and other chronic conditions and diseases. Benefits Helps maintain a healthy weight A healthy weight reduces risk of chronic ...

  12. Using social media to promote international student partnerships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrett, Bernard M; Cutting, Roger

    2012-11-01

    This paper describes a project to establish and evaluate online study partnerships, using social networking applications, between final year Canadian nursing students at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and second year undergraduate science education students at the University of Plymouth (UoP) in the UK. The project took place between 2009 and 2010 and evaluated the use of social networking applications with international interdisciplinary partnerships between Canadian and UK students. A multi-method evaluation strategy incorporating questionnaires, online focus groups and web analytics was used to explore the value of social media to promote the exchange of ideas and discussion of scientific philosophy in different contexts, between students working in disciplines with differing philosophical perspectives principally modern/post-modern, quantitative/qualitative, empirical/theoretical. This project resulted in a very successful collaborative partnership between UK and Canadian students. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A Systematic Review of Behavioural Interventions Promoting Healthy Eating among Older People.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xiao; Perez-Cueto, Federico J A; Santos, Quenia Dos; Monteleone, Erminio; Giboreau, Agnès; Appleton, Katherine M; Bjørner, Thomas; Bredie, Wender L P; Hartwell, Heather

    2018-01-26

    Because eating habits are inseparably linked with people's physical health, effective behaviour interventions are highly demanded to promote healthy eating among older people. The aim of this systematic review was to identify effective diet interventions for older people and provide useful evidence and direction for further research. Three electronic bibliographic databases-PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection were used to conduct a systematic literature search based on fixed inclusion and exclusion criteria. English language peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2011 and 2016 were selected for data extraction and quality assessment. Finally, a total of 16 studies were identified. The studies' duration ranged from three weeks to seven years. The majority of studies were carried out in European countries. Seven studies had a moderate quality while the remaining studies were at a less than moderate level. Three dietary educational interventions and all meal service related interventions reported improvements in older people's dietary variety, nutrition status, or other health-related eating behaviours. Multicomponent dietary interventions mainly contributed to the reduction of risk of chronic disease. The results supported that older people could achieve a better dietary quality if they make diet-related changes by receiving either dietary education or healthier meal service. Further high-quality studies are required to promote healthy eating among older people by taking regional diet patterns, advanced information technology, and nudging strategies into account.

  14. The Usage of Web 2.0 as a Media Promotion in Indonesia University Libraries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nove E. Variant Anna

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The usage of web 2.0 has become popular among young people in Indonesia. One of the purpose of using web 2.0 is for promotion in some university libraries. The emerging of the web 2.0 as promotional media is corelating with the development of digital library. The paper aims are (1 to describe the usage of web 2.0 for academic libraries promotion. (2 to describe the information / content of those web 2.0. (3 to describe the promotion activity through web 2.0. This research population is all university libraries in Indonesia, but only 40 university libraries that conduct promotion through web 2.0. The website observation is done between May-July 2013. The research results are (1 the university libraries in Indonesia are use facebook, twitter, and flicker to promote library programs and interaction with users. The web 2.0 consist of information about new book release, user education, general information about library services, and information literacy. (3 some of univerity libraries taking seriously and actively promote their library services, but some of them are don’t use the web 2.0.

  15. The Usage of Web 2.0 as a Media Promotion in Indonesia University Libraries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nove E. Variant Anna

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The usage of web 2.0 has become popular among young people in Indonesia. One of the purpose of using web 2.0 is for promotion in some university libraries. The emerging of the web 2.0 as promotional media is corelating with the development of digital library. The paper aims are (1 to describe the usage of web 2.0 for academic libraries promotion. (2 to describe the information / content of those web 2.0. (3 to describe the promotion activity through web 2.0. This research population is all university libraries in Indonesia, but only 40 university librraries that conduct promotion through web 2.0. The website observation is done between May-July 2013. The research results are (1 the university libraries in Indonesia are use facebook, twitter, and flikr to promote library programs and interaction with users. The web 2.0 consist of information about new book release, user education, general information about library services, and information literacy. (3 some of univerity libraries taking seriously and actively promote their library services, but some of them are don’t use the web 2.0.

  16. How Schools Can Promote Healthy Development for Newly Arrived Immigrant and Refugee Adolescents: Research Priorities

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeely, Clea A.; Morland, Lyn; Doty, S. Benjamin; Meschke, Laurie L.; Awad, Summer; Husain, Altaf; Nashwan, Ayat

    2017-01-01

    Background: The US education system must find creative and effective ways to foster the healthy development of the approximately 2 million newly arrived immigrant and refugee adolescents, many of whom contend with language barriers, limited prior education, trauma, and discrimination. We identify research priorities for promoting the school…

  17. Eating Well While Dining Out: Collaborating with Local Restaurants to Promote Heart Healthy Menu Items

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thayer, Linden M.; Pimentel, Daniela C.; Smith, Janice C.; Garcia, Beverly A.; Sylvester, Laura Lee; Kelly, Tammy; Johnston, Larry F.; Ammerman, Alice S.; Keyserling, Thomas C.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Because Americans commonly consume restaurant foods with poor dietary quality, effective interventions are needed to improve food choices at restaurants. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate a restaurant-based intervention to help customers select and restaurants promote heart healthy menu items with healthful…

  18. The role of the film as a media communications instrument for the tourist destination promotion strategy

    OpenAIRE

    Pavković Vladimir; Filipović Vinka; Vlastelica-Bakić Tamara

    2015-01-01

    This paper analyses different film genres and their role as a media communications instrument for the tourist destination promotion strategy. The general objective of the paper is to point to the significance of film for the tourist destination recognisability as well as its perception in the public eye. The specific objectives of the paper are directed at the analysis of individual roles that different film genres have in the tourist destination promotion strategy. The research methods emplo...

  19. Marketing, Technology, and Medicine: Recommendations on How to Incorporate Psychological Principles into New Technologies to Promote Healthy Behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith-Dektor, Asha H; Young, Sean D

    2014-07-01

    Although technologies have provided new forms of entertainment and improved our work efficiency, they have also reduced our need to engage in healthy physical activities. We believe that the psychological principles that make sedentary entertainment technologies (such as television and video games) engaging can be incorporated into new technologies to make new technologies both engaging and promote healthy behaviors. This short report aims to 1) describe how technology has traditionally reduced motivation to engage in health behaviors, 2) discuss key elements that may make sedentary technology (in this case, television) engaging, and 3) provide examples of how these same elements can be incorporated into new technologies to increase engagement and promote health behaviors.

  20. A Social Media Campaign to Promote Breastfeeding among Saudi Women: A Web-based Survey Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahkali, Salwa; Alkharjy, Nora; Alowairdy, Maryam; Househ, Mowafa; Da'ar, Omar; Alsurimi, Khaled

    2015-01-01

    Prolonged breastfeeding can prevent or limit the severity of a variety of diseases and conditions. Although evidence clearly shows that there are health benefits for breastfeeding, adherence to breastfeeding remains a key challenge facing maternal health providers in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impacts of a social media platform (Twitter) to promote breastfeeding in Saudi Arabia. Between February 10 and March 25, 2015, a web-based questionnaire was administered to evaluate the impacts of a Twitter based educational campaign on the awareness, knowledge, and adherence to breastfeeding behavior for women in Saudi Arabia. The overall response rate among mothers with a newborn child was 83% (n=484). The results showed an increase in the knowledge and awareness of breastfeeding practices and adherence among Twitter followers. The initiation rate of breastfeeding had slightly increased among women who never had previously breastfed. More women reported their willingness to continue exclusive breastfeeding and to stop bottle-feeding. Results also show that an integration of professional breastfeeding support, public health education programs through social media could be an effective tool in promoting breastfeeding in Saudi Arabia. There is a need for further research on designing and implementing a social media based educational outreach program to increase women's awareness, knowledge, and adherence to breastfeeding behavior in Saudi Arabia.

  1. Fitness Testing in Physical Education--A Misdirected Effort in Promoting Healthy Lifestyles and Physical Activity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cale, Lorraine; Harris, Jo

    2009-01-01

    Background: Physical fitness testing is commonplace within schools and the physical education (PE) curriculum, with advocates claiming one of the key purposes of testing to be the promotion of healthy lifestyles and physical activity. Despite this, much controversy has surrounded the fitness testing of young people. Purpose: This paper draws on…

  2. Identifying Opinion Leaders to Promote Organ Donation on Social Media: Network Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmon, Charles T

    2018-01-01

    Background In the recent years, social networking sites (SNSs, also called social media) have been adopted in organ donation campaigns, and recruiting opinion leaders for such campaigns has been found effective in promoting behavioral changes. Objective The aim of this paper was to focus on the dissemination of organ donation tweets on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, and to examine the opinion leadership in the retweet network of popular organ donation messages using social network analysis. It also aimed to investigate how personal and social attributes contribute to a user’s opinion leadership on the topic of organ donation. Methods All messages about organ donation posted on Weibo from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 were extracted using Python Web crawler. A retweet network with 505,047 nodes and 545,312 edges of the popular messages (n=206) was constructed and analyzed. The local and global opinion leaderships were measured using network metrics, and the roles of personal attributes, professional knowledge, and social positions in obtaining the opinion leadership were examined using general linear model. Results The findings revealed that personal attributes, professional knowledge, and social positions predicted individual’s local opinion leadership in the retweet network of popular organ donation messages. Alternatively, personal attributes and social positions, but not professional knowledge, were significantly associated with global opinion leadership. Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that health campaign designers may recruit peer leaders in SNS organ donation promotions to facilitate information sharing among the target audience. Users who are unverified, active, well connected, and experienced with information and communications technology (ICT) will accelerate the sharing of organ donation messages in the global environment. Medical professionals such as organ transplant surgeons who can wield a great amount of

  3. The effects of media on sleep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van den Bulck, Jan

    2010-12-01

    The media are an important part of young people's lives, but television, computer games, Internet use, cellular phone use, and even book reading threaten healthy sleep. Adults do not fully comprehend the ways in which young people use various media. Media use is a type of behavior that may displace sleep time or shorten it. Media content may lead to overexcitement or cause recurring nightmares. The cellular telephone is a particular threat. Parents may also use media excessively, establishing an unhealthy environment that may lead to sleep dysfunction in children and adolescents. Therefore, anticipatory guidance for healthy behavioral changes should be focused on the family.

  4. A Healthy Start: Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in the Early Primary School Years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cefai, Carmel; Camilleri, Liberato

    2015-01-01

    Mental health problems in children represent a significant international health concern, with up to one in five children using mental health services during the course of any given year. Identifying the processes of what prevents social, emotional and behaviour difficulties (SEBD) and promotes healthy development from an early age can make a…

  5. Effect of parity on healthy promotion lifestyle behavior in women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazik, Hakan; Nazik, Evşen; Özdemir, Funda; Gül, Şule; Tezel, Ayfer; Narin, Raziye

    2015-01-01

    Health-promoting lifestyle behaviors are not only for the prevention of a disease or discomfort, but are also behaviors that aim to improve the individual's general health and well-being. Nurses have an important position in the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors in women. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of parity on health-promoting lifestyle behaviors in women. This descriptive and cross-sectional survey was performed in Adana, Turkey. This study was conducted with 352 women. The questionnaire consisted of two parts; the first part consisted of questions that assessed the socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, and the second part employed the "Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile Scale" (HPLP). Data analysis included percentage, arithmetic average, and ANOVA tests. The results revealed that 24.1% of the women had no parity, 13.6% had one parity, 30.7% had two parities, 14.6% had three parities, and 17% had four and above parities. The mean total HPLP was 126.66±18.12 (interpersonal support subscale, 24.46±4.02; nutrition subscale, 21.59±3.92; self-actualization subscale, 24.42±4.30; stress management subscale, 18.73±3.81; health responsibility subscale, 21.75±4.31; and exercise subscale, 15.71±4.22). The health behavior of women was moderate. A statistically significant correlation was found between the number of parities and the Health Responsibility, Nutrition, Interpersonal Support, which is the subscale of the HPLP Scale.

  6. Promotion of a Healthy Weight and Lifestyle among Children: The ‘Be Active, Eat Right’ Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A. van Grieken (Amy)

    2013-01-01

    textabstractOverweight and obesity among children has become a public health issue. This thesis aimed to describe interventions promoting a healthy weight and lifestyle among children and provide insight in elements that may be related to intervention improvement. Health care has an important role

  7. A Systematic Review of Behavioural Interventions Promoting Healthy Eating among Older People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao Zhou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Because eating habits are inseparably linked with people’s physical health, effective behaviour interventions are highly demanded to promote healthy eating among older people. The aim of this systematic review was to identify effective diet interventions for older people and provide useful evidence and direction for further research. Three electronic bibliographic databases—PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection were used to conduct a systematic literature search based on fixed inclusion and exclusion criteria. English language peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2011 and 2016 were selected for data extraction and quality assessment. Finally, a total of 16 studies were identified. The studies’ duration ranged from three weeks to seven years. The majority of studies were carried out in European countries. Seven studies had a moderate quality while the remaining studies were at a less than moderate level. Three dietary educational interventions and all meal service related interventions reported improvements in older people’s dietary variety, nutrition status, or other health-related eating behaviours. Multicomponent dietary interventions mainly contributed to the reduction of risk of chronic disease. The results supported that older people could achieve a better dietary quality if they make diet-related changes by receiving either dietary education or healthier meal service. Further high-quality studies are required to promote healthy eating among older people by taking regional diet patterns, advanced information technology, and nudging strategies into account.

  8. A Systematic Review of Behavioural Interventions Promoting Healthy Eating among Older People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Cueto, Federico J. A.; Santos, Quenia Dos; Monteleone, Erminio; Giboreau, Agnès; Bredie, Wender L. P.; Hartwell, Heather

    2018-01-01

    Because eating habits are inseparably linked with people’s physical health, effective behaviour interventions are highly demanded to promote healthy eating among older people. The aim of this systematic review was to identify effective diet interventions for older people and provide useful evidence and direction for further research. Three electronic bibliographic databases—PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection were used to conduct a systematic literature search based on fixed inclusion and exclusion criteria. English language peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2011 and 2016 were selected for data extraction and quality assessment. Finally, a total of 16 studies were identified. The studies’ duration ranged from three weeks to seven years. The majority of studies were carried out in European countries. Seven studies had a moderate quality while the remaining studies were at a less than moderate level. Three dietary educational interventions and all meal service related interventions reported improvements in older people’s dietary variety, nutrition status, or other health-related eating behaviours. Multicomponent dietary interventions mainly contributed to the reduction of risk of chronic disease. The results supported that older people could achieve a better dietary quality if they make diet-related changes by receiving either dietary education or healthier meal service. Further high-quality studies are required to promote healthy eating among older people by taking regional diet patterns, advanced information technology, and nudging strategies into account. PMID:29373529

  9. Media campaigns to promote smoking cessation among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations: what do we know, what do we need to learn, and what should we do now?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niederdeppe, Jeff; Kuang, Xiaodong; Crock, Brittney; Skelton, Ashley

    2008-11-01

    Little is known about whether media campaigns are effective strategies to promote smoking cessation among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations or whether media campaigns may unintentionally maintain or widen disparities in smoking cessation by socioeconomic status (SES). This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of media campaigns to promote smoking cessation among low SES populations in the USA and countries with comparable political systems and demographic profiles such as Canada, Australia and Western European nations. We reviewed 29 articles, summarizing results from 18 studies, which made explicit statistical comparisons of media campaign effectiveness by SES, and 21 articles, summarizing results from 13 studies, which assessed the effectiveness of media campaigns targeted specifically to low SES populations. We find that there is considerable evidence that media campaigns to promote smoking cessation are often less effective, sometimes equally effective, and rarely more effective among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations relative to more advantaged populations. Disparities in the effectiveness of media campaigns between SES groups may occur at any of three stages: differences in meaningful exposure, differences in motivational response, or differences in opportunity to sustain long-term cessation. There remains a need to conduct research that examines the effectiveness of media campaigns by SES; these studies should employ research designs that are sensitive to various ways that SES differences in smoking cessation media effects might occur.

  10. [ANDALIES project: consumption, offer and promotion of healthy eating habits within secondary schools in Andalusia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    González Rodríguez, Angustias; García Padilla, Francisca M; Martos Cerezuela, Ildefonso; Silvano Arranz, Agustina; Fernández Lao, Isabel

    2015-04-01

    The school context stands out as one of the factors influencing the food practices of adolescents. Food consumption during the school day, the cafeterias' supply and the promotional activities proposed by the centers are objects of increasing attention to community health services. To describe students' eating habits during the school day; to analyze the food on offer by the cafeterias and surrounding establishments; and to assess whether secondary schools are suitable environments for the promotion of healthy eating habits. Cross-sectional study during 2010-2012 courses. Sampling units: public secondary schools (95) and students (8.068). Multistage cluster sampling: random and stratified selection by province and habitat size. Selection of students: systematic sampling of classrooms. 77.5% of students have breakfast at home: cereals and a dairy product (40.9%) or a liquid (29.2%); 70.3% eat something at school and most of them choose a cold meat sandwich. Fruit consumption is infrequent (2.5%) while packed juices are very common (63.3%). 75% eat sweets, the figure increasing significantly in schools with cafeterias. Cafeterias offer a large number of non-recommended products: soft drinks (97,3%), cold meats (91,8%), sweets and chips (89%). Lack of control of the products on offer is common (68.42%); only 28.4% of the managers know the law. 72.5% of the centers undertake isolated activities for the promotion of healthy eating habits. 71.5% of the centers are surrounded by shops that supply the students. Low protection of students' food health is evident, resulting from: students' nutritional deficits, the low quality of the food offered by the cafeterias and the lack of activities to encourage healthy habits. For which reason, educational, health and local administrations must accept shared responsibility on this subject. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  11. Building capacity in workplace health promotion: the case of the Healthy Together e-learning project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodgins, Margaret; Battel-Kirk, Barbara; Asgeirsdottir, Asa G

    2010-03-01

    The current global economic crisis poses major challenges for workplace health promotion (WHP). Activities that are not perceived to obviously and directly contribute to profits could be sacrificed. This paper argues that WHP must remain centre-stage because of the rights of workers to a healthy, safe working environment but also because of WHP's beneficial financial implications for enterprises. Capacity building for WHP can be developed even within a recessionary environment, particularly if the focus is on the wider workforce, described here as people for whom workplace health promotion may not be their primary function but who have an important role to play in health improvement in workplaces. There is a strong case for the development of the wider workforce based both on the lack of suitably qualified specialists and on the practicalities of having WHP implemented within organizations, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs make up a very significant proportion of the global economy and are identified as a priority area for action internationally. An example of an e-learning course, the Healthy Together programme, developed by a partnership of three countries, is discussed as an approach that has potential to develop capacity for WHP in the current climate. The findings of the evaluation of the Healthy Together programme indicate that there is a real potential in developing e-learning materials for training those with a brief for promoting workplace health and safety in SMEs. Although modifications in some aspects of delivery identified in the evaluation of the pilot course need to be considered, the course was well received, and was reported to be relevant to the learning needs of students, to their workplaces and specifically to small businesses in rural areas. Specific features of the e-learning approach increase its potential to address capacity building for WHP.

  12. Perceptions of nursery staff and parent views of healthy eating promotion in preschool settings: an exploratory qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorraine A. McSweeney

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the UK just over a fifth of all children start school overweight or obese and overweight 2–5 year olds are at least 4 times more likely to become overweight adults. This can lead to serious future health problems. The WHO have recently highlighted the preschool years as a critical time for obesity prevention, and have recommended preschools as an ideal setting for intervention. However, existing evidence suggests that the preschool environment, including the knowledge, beliefs and practices of preschool staff and parents of young children attending nurseries can be a barrier to the successful implementation of healthy eating interventions in this setting. Methods This study examined the perceptions of preschool centre staff and parents’ of preschool children of healthy eating promotion within preschool settings. The participants were preschool staff working in private and local authority preschool centres in the North East of England, and parents of preschool children aged 3–4 years. Preschool staff participated in semi-structured interviews (n = 16 female, 1 male. Parents completed a mapping activity interview (n = 14 mothers, 1 father. Thematic analysis was applied to interpret the findings. Results Complex communication issues surrounding preschool centre dietary ‘rules’ were apparent. The staff were keen to promote healthy eating to families and felt that parents needed ‘education’ and ‘help’. The staff emphasised that school policies prohibited providing children with sugary or fatty snacks such as crisps, cakes, sweets and ‘fizzy’ drinks, however, some preschool centres appeared to have difficulty enforcing such guidelines. Parents were open to the idea of healthy eating promotion in preschool settings but were wary of being ‘told what to do’ and being thought of as ‘bad parents’. Conclusions There is a need to further explore nursery staff members’ personal perceptions of

  13. The relation between media promotions and service volume for a statewide tobacco quitline and a web-based cessation program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schillo Barbara A

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This observational study assessed the relation between mass media campaigns and service volume for a statewide tobacco cessation quitline and stand-alone web-based cessation program. Methods Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify how weekly calls to a cessation quitline and weekly registrations to a web-based cessation program are related to levels of broadcast media, media campaigns, and media types, controlling for the impact of external and earned media events. Results There was a positive relation between weekly broadcast targeted rating points and the number of weekly calls to a cessation quitline and the number of weekly registrations to a web-based cessation program. Additionally, print secondhand smoke ads and online cessation ads were positively related to weekly quitline calls. Television and radio cessation ads and radio smoke-free law ads were positively related to web program registration levels. There was a positive relation between the number of web registrations and the number of calls to the cessation quitline, with increases in registrations to the web in 1 week corresponding to increases in calls to the quitline in the subsequent week. Web program registration levels were more highly influenced by earned media and other external events than were quitline call volumes. Conclusion Overall, broadcast advertising had a greater impact on registrations for the web program than calls to the quitline. Furthermore, registrations for the web program influenced calls to the quitline. These two findings suggest the evolving roles of web-based cessation programs and Internet-use practices should be considered when creating cessation programs and media campaigns to promote them. Additionally, because different types of media and campaigns were positively associated with calls to the quitline and web registrations, developing mass media campaigns that offer a variety of messages and communicate through

  14. Promoting healthy diets and active lives to hard-to-reach groups: market research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, S L; Maloney, S K

    1990-01-01

    Continued progress over the next decade in reducing premature morbidity and mortality from chronic disease will require that health communication efforts target a significant proportion of the American public that has not been influenced by the health promotion efforts of the 1980s. Focus groups conducted with members of the hard-to-reach American public showed that while being healthy seemed to be important to participants, and they were generally aware of what to do to stay healthy, they had a different operational definition of health than that used in health promotion programs. Participants seemed to believe that better health behaviors would build their resistance to acute illnesses, that is, keep them healthy, but that chronic diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, were due to fate and heredity and beyond their individual control. The focus group results show that participants had not made the link between chronic disease prevention and the importance of diet, exercise, and weight control. Although most of them seemed to express a genuine interest in "doing better," they were not able to supply more than superficial examples of how such changes might be made. Surprisingly, there were more similarities than differences in participants' attitudes and beliefs, with the similarities cutting across boundaries of race-ethnicity, age, and sex. Interest in changing behaviors was only slightly more pronounced among female rather than male, and older rather than younger, participants. However, there was not much evidence from the participants that they were actively seeking health information or trying to reconcile conflicting knowledge and beliefs.

  15. Modelling innovative interventions for optimising healthy lifestyle promotion in primary health care: "Prescribe Vida Saludable" phase I research protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pombo Haizea

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The adoption of a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity, a balanced diet, a moderate alcohol consumption and abstinence from smoking, are associated with large decreases in the incidence and mortality rates for the most common chronic diseases. That is why primary health care (PHC services are trying, so far with less success than desirable, to promote healthy lifestyles among patients. The objective of this study is to design and model, under a participative collaboration framework between clinicians and researchers, interventions that are feasible and sustainable for the promotion of healthy lifestyles in PHC. Methods and design Phase I formative research and a quasi-experimental evaluation of the modelling and planning process will be undertaken in eight primary care centres (PCCs of the Basque Health Service – OSAKIDETZA, of which four centres will be assigned for convenience to the Intervention Group (the others being Controls. Twelve structured study, discussion and consensus sessions supported by reviews of the literature and relevant documents, will be undertaken throughout 12 months. The first four sessions, including a descriptive strategic needs assessment, will lead to the prioritisation of a health promotion aim in each centre. In the remaining eight sessions, collaborative design of intervention strategies, on the basis of a planning process and pilot trials, will be carried out. The impact of the formative process on the practice of healthy lifestyle promotion, attitude towards health promotion and other factors associated with the optimisation of preventive clinical practice will be assessed, through pre- and post-programme evaluations and comparisons of the indicators measured in professionals from the centres assigned to the Intervention or Control Groups. Discussion There are four necessary factors for the outcome to be successful and result in important changes: (1 the commitment of professional

  16. Efektivitas Media Leafleat dan Media Brosur Terhadap Peningkatan Pengetahuan dan Sikap Pasien Dalam Perawatan Diabetes Mellitus di RSUD Dr. R. M Djoelham Binjai Tahun 2015

    OpenAIRE

    Taufiq, Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the health service. Patients with diabetes mellitus risk of various complications that can threatened life of human being. The high prevalence of diabetes mellitus is due to lack of knowledge and attitudes about a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of health promotion using the media leaflets and brochures on the knowledge and attitudes of patients with diabetes mellitus in the treatment of diabetes m...

  17. Cost-effectiveness of healthy eating and/or physical activity promotion in pregnant women at increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Broekhuizen, Karen; Simmons, David; Devlieger, Roland

    2018-01-01

    was performed alongside a European multicenter-randomized controlled trial. A total of 435 pregnant women at increased risk of GDM in primary and secondary care settings in nine European countries, were recruited and randomly allocated to a healthy eating and physical activity promotion intervention (HE + PA...... intervention), a healthy eating promotion intervention (HE intervention), or a physical activity promotion intervention (PA intervention). Main outcome measures were gestational weight gain, fasting glucose, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and societal costs. Results: Between...... intervention strategy. At 35-37 weeks, it depends on the decision-makers' willingness to pay per kilogram reduction in gestational weight gain whether the HE + PA intervention is cost-effective for gestational weight gain, whereas it was not cost-effective for fasting glucose and HOMA-IR. After delivery...

  18. Perspectives on healthy eating among Appalachian residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenberg, Nancy E; Howell, Britteny M; Swanson, Mark; Grosh, Christopher; Bardach, Shoshana

    2013-08-01

    Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such focus is warranted due to increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and other dietary-related disease. To address suboptimal dietary intake requires an improved, contextualized understanding of the multiple and intersecting influences on healthy eating, particularly among those populations at greatest risk of and from poor diet, including rural residents. During 8 focus groups (N = 99) and 6 group key informant interviews (N = 20), diverse Appalachian rural residents were queried about their perceptions of healthy eating, determinants of healthy food intake, and recommendations for improving the dietary intake of people in their communities. Participants included church members and other laypeople, public health officials, social service providers, health care professionals, and others. Participants offered insights on healthy eating consistent with the categories of individual, interpersonal, community, physical, environmental, and society-level influences described in the socioecological model. Although many participants identified gaps in dietary knowledge as a persistent problem, informants also identified extraindividual factors, including the influence of family, fellow church members, and schools, policy, advertising and media, and general societal trends, as challenges to healthy dietary intake. We highlight Appalachian residents' recommendations for promoting healthier diets, including support groups, educational workshops, cooking classes, and community gardening. We discuss the implications of these findings for programmatic development in the Appalachian context. © 2013 National Rural Health Association.

  19. Healthy and productive workers: using intervention mapping to design a workplace health promotion and wellness program to improve presenteeism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammendolia, Carlo; Côté, Pierre; Cancelliere, Carol; Cassidy, J David; Hartvigsen, Jan; Boyle, Eleanor; Soklaridis, Sophie; Stern, Paula; Amick, Benjamin

    2016-11-25

    Presenteeism is a growing problem in developed countries mostly due to an aging workforce. The economic costs related to presenteeism exceed those of absenteeism and employer health costs. Employers are implementing workplace health promotion and wellness programs to improve health among workers and reduce presenteeism. How best to design, integrate and deliver these programs are unknown. The main purpose of this study was to use an intervention mapping approach to develop a workplace health promotion and wellness program aimed at reducing presenteeism. We partnered with a large international financial services company and used a qualitative synthesis based on an intervention mapping methodology. Evidence from systematic reviews and key articles on reducing presenteeism and implementing health promotion programs was combined with theoretical models for changing behavior and stakeholder experience. This was then systematically operationalized into a program using discussion groups and consensus among experts and stakeholders. The top health problem impacting our workplace partner was mental health. Depression and stress were the first and second highest cause of productivity loss respectively. A multi-pronged program with detailed action steps was developed and directed at key stakeholders and health conditions. For mental health, regular sharing focus groups, social networking, monthly personal stories from leadership using webinars and multi-media communications, expert-led workshops, lunch and learn sessions and manager and employee training were part of a comprehensive program. Comprehensive, specific and multi-pronged strategies were developed and aimed at encouraging healthy behaviours that impact presenteeism such as regular exercise, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, smoking cessation, socialization and work-life balance. Limitations of the intervention mapping process included high resource and time requirements, the lack of external input and viewpoints

  20. Policies to promote on physical activity and healthy eating in kindergartens from theory to practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Bent Egberg

    2011-01-01

    Accumulating evidence shows that there seems to be a relation between the existence of a policy and at least some health behaviours of children. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief account of the value of policy as a tool that can be used at local level to guide action to promote healthy...

  1. Implementation Process and Acceptance of a Setting Based Prevention Programme to Promote Healthy Lifestyle in Preschool Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbert, Birgit; Strauss, Angelika; Mayer, Andrea; Duvinage, Kristin; Mitschek, Christine; Koletzko, Berthold

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Evaluation of the implementation process of a kindergarten-based intervention ("TigerKids") to promote a healthy lifestyle. Design: Questionnaire survey among kindergarten teachers about programme implementation and acceptance. Setting: Kindergartens in Bavaria, Germany. Methods: Two hundred and fifteen kindergartens were…

  2. Learned pleasure from eating: An opportunity to promote healthy eating in children?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marty, Lucile; Chambaron, Stéphanie; Nicklaus, Sophie; Monnery-Patris, Sandrine

    2018-01-01

    Across the lifespan, eating is a common everyday act driven by the search for pleasure and reinforced by experienced pleasure. Pleasure is an innate indicator of the satisfaction of physiological needs, in addition to other attributes. Pleasure from eating is also learned and contributes to the development of children's eating habits, which remain mostly stable until adulthood. Based on classical models of determinants of food consumption behaviour, we identified three dimensions of pleasure from eating learned during childhood: 1/the sensory dimension, i.e., pleasure from sensory sensations during food consumption; 2/the interpersonal dimension, i.e., pleasure from the social context of food consumption; and 3/the psychosocial dimension, i.e., pleasure from cognitive representations of food. The objective of this narrative review is to explore whether these three dimensions may play a role in promotion of healthy eating behaviour among children. Up to now, it was assumed that providing nutritional information, pointing out which types of foods are "good" or "bad" for health, would drive healthier food choices in children. Today, we know that such strategies based on a cognitive approach toward eating have a limited impact on healthy choices and can even be counter-productive, leading children to avoid healthy foods. In the context of increasing rates of childhood obesity, new perspectives are needed to build efficient interventions that might help children adopt a healthy diet. This review suggests new directions for further research to test the efficacy of novel interventions that emphasize pleasure from eating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Impact of the Make Healthy Normal mass media campaign (Phase 1) on knowledge, attitudes and behaviours: a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kite, James; Gale, Joanne; Grunseit, Anne; Bellew, William; Li, Vincy; Lloyd, Beverley; Maxwell, Michelle; Vineburg, John; Bauman, Adrian

    2018-06-01

    To determine the impact of the first phase of the Make Healthy Normal mass media campaign on NSW adults' active living and healthy eating knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behaviour. Cohort design with NSW adults, followed up three times over 12 months, with n=939 participants completing all three waves. We used generalised linear mixed models to examine campaign awareness, knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behaviours over time. Campaign recognition built to a reasonable level (45% at Wave 3), although unprompted recall was low (9% at Wave 3). There were significant increases in knowledge of physical activity recommendations (46% to 50%), the health effects of obesity (52% to 64%), and weight loss benefits (53% to 65%), with stronger effects in campaign recognisers. Conversely, we found declines in self-efficacy and intention to increase physical activity (39% to 31%) and decrease soft drink consumption (31% to 24%). Overall, there are some positives for the campaign but intentions need to be a focus of future campaign phases. Continued investment over the medium- to long-term is needed. Mass media campaigns can play a role in obesity prevention but robust evaluations are needed to identify the characteristics of effective campaigns. © 2018 The Authors.

  4. Lessons learnt from a feasibility study on price incentivised healthy eating promotions in workplace catering establishments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackison, D; Mooney, J; Macleod, M; Anderson, A S

    2016-02-01

    It is recognised that the worksite catering sector is likely to play a pivotal role in influencing dietary intake in adults of working age. The present study aimed to assess the feasibility of engaging worksites in a healthy eating intervention, implementing a price incentivised main meal intervention and measuring indicative intervention responses to inform the design of a future trial. Workplaces registered with the Scottish Healthy Living Award were invited to participate. The EatSMART intervention (a reduced price, healthy meal combination plus promotions) was implemented over 10 weeks in two worksites. Implementation was assessed by observational and sales data. Indicative effects on food habits were measured using online pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Focus group discussions and interviews were used to determine catering staff and consumer acceptability. Thirty-seven worksites were invited to participate and four worksites responded positively. Two sites (with 1600 and 500 employees, respectively) participated. Both required significant implementation support. Estimated sales data indicated that the uptake of promoted items varied by week (range 60-187 items) and by site. A poor response rate from questionnaires limited the evaluation of intervention impact. Consumers reported improved value for money and quality. Both sites reported an intention to continue the intervention delivery. Significant efforts are required to engage worksite catering teams and implement healthy eating interventions. Evaluation methods require further development to improve data collection. Responses from consumers and catering staff suggest that further work in this area would be welcomed. © 2014 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  5. Impact evaluation of "Have Fun - Be Healthy" program: A community based health promotion intervention to prevent childhood obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathirana, Thanya; Stoneman, Rebecca; Lamont, Amanda; Harris, Neil; Lee, Patricia

    2018-04-01

    Childhood obesity is rising in prevalence in Australia. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the "Have Fun-Be Healthy" (HFBH) intervention, delivered in the Playgroup setting, to generate short term changes in dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviours of children under 5 years and self-efficacy of parents and primary carers. This intervention consisted of eight structured cooking and physical play sessions delivered over a period of 8 weeks by trained facilitators. Pre- and post-intervention data collection was performed using survey questionnaires administered to parents and carers of children under 5 years from low socioeconomic backgrounds recruited through convenience sampling. A total of 640 pre-intervention surveys and 312 post-intervention surveys were returned. The matched response rate was 45.5%. There was an improvement in mean intake of healthy foods and mean physical activity with a decrease in mean intake of unhealthy food and mean screen time in children (P > .05). Following the intervention, parental/carer self-efficacy in promoting healthy eating and limiting screen time of children improved significantly (P < .05). Children's physical activity levels and consumption of healthy foods were positively correlated with parental/carer self-efficacy (P < .01) while screen time and consumption of unhealthy foods were negatively correlated (P < .01). HFBH intervention was successful in improving the dietary, physical activity and screen time in children and parental self-efficacy. SO WHAT?: Being amongst the first of its' kind in Australia, the findings of this study can have implications for developing and implementing similar future health promotion interventions in comparable settings. © 2017 Australian Health Promotion Association.

  6. Are interventions to promote healthy eating equally effective for all? Systematic review of socioeconomic inequalities in impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGill, Rory; Anwar, Elspeth; Orton, Lois; Bromley, Helen; Lloyd-Williams, Ffion; O'Flaherty, Martin; Taylor-Robinson, David; Guzman-Castillo, Maria; Gillespie, Duncan; Moreira, Patricia; Allen, Kirk; Hyseni, Lirije; Calder, Nicola; Petticrew, Mark; White, Martin; Whitehead, Margaret; Capewell, Simon

    2015-05-02

    Interventions to promote healthy eating make a potentially powerful contribution to the primary prevention of non communicable diseases. It is not known whether healthy eating interventions are equally effective among all sections of the population, nor whether they narrow or widen the health gap between rich and poor. We undertook a systematic review of interventions to promote healthy eating to identify whether impacts differ by socioeconomic position (SEP). We searched five bibliographic databases using a pre-piloted search strategy. Retrieved articles were screened independently by two reviewers. Healthier diets were defined as the reduced intake of salt, sugar, trans-fats, saturated fat, total fat, or total calories, or increased consumption of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain. Studies were only included if quantitative results were presented by a measure of SEP. Extracted data were categorised with a modified version of the "4Ps" marketing mix, expanded to 6 "Ps": "Price, Place, Product, Prescriptive, Promotion, and Person". Our search identified 31,887 articles. Following screening, 36 studies were included: 18 "Price" interventions, 6 "Place" interventions, 1 "Product" intervention, zero "Prescriptive" interventions, 4 "Promotion" interventions, and 18 "Person" interventions. "Price" interventions were most effective in groups with lower SEP, and may therefore appear likely to reduce inequalities. All interventions that combined taxes and subsidies consistently decreased inequalities. Conversely, interventions categorised as "Person" had a greater impact with increasing SEP, and may therefore appear likely to reduce inequalities. All four dietary counselling interventions appear likely to widen inequalities. We did not find any "Prescriptive" interventions and only one "Product" intervention that presented differential results and had no impact by SEP. More "Place" interventions were identified and none of these interventions were judged as likely to widen

  7. Community-Based Participatory Research to Promote Healthy Diet and Nutrition and Prevent and Control Obesity Among African-Americans: a Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coughlin, Steven S; Smith, Selina A

    2017-04-01

    The literature on community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches for promoting healthy diet and nutrition and preventing and controlling obesity in African-American communities was systematically reviewed as part of the planning process for new research. CBPR studies of diet, nutrition, and weight management among African-Americans were identified from 1989 through October 31, 2015, using PubMed and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases and MeSH term and keyword searches. A total of 16 CBPR studies on healthy diet, nutrition, and weight management among African-Americans were identified; outcome evaluation results were available for all but two. Of the remaining 14 studies, 11 focused on adults, 1 on children, and 2 on both children and adults. Eight studies employed CBPR methods to address diet, nutrition, and weight management in church settings. Four had a cluster-randomized controlled design. Others had a pre-post test, quasi-experimental, or uncontrolled design. Only one study addressed four levels of the socioecological model; none addressed all five levels of the model. The studies identified in this review indicate that CBPR approaches can be effective for promoting healthy diet, nutrition, and weight management among African-American adults, but there is a need for additional studies with rigorous study designs that overcome methodologic limitations of many existing studies. There is only limited evidence for the effectiveness of CBPR approaches for promoting healthy eating and weight control among African-American children and adolescents. To address health disparities, additional CBPR studies are needed to promote healthy diet, nutrition, and weight management in African-American communities. Of particular interest are multilevel CBPR studies that include interventions aimed at multiple levels of the socioecological model.

  8. Beliefs about promoting cognitive health among Filipino Americans who care for persons with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laditka, Sarah B; Tseng, Winston; Price, Anna E; Ivey, Susan L; Friedman, Daniela B; Liu, Rui; Wu, Bel; Logsdon, Rebecca G; Beard, Renée L

    2012-01-01

    We examined beliefs about promoting cognitive health among Filipino Americans who care for persons with dementia, their awareness of media information about cognitive health, and their suggestions for communicating such information to other caregivers. We conducted three focus groups (25 participants). The constant comparison method compared themes across focus groups. Caregivers most frequently described cognitive health benefits of social engagement and leisure; next in emphasis were benefits of healthy diets. There was less emphasis on physical activity. Participants had heard from television that avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs might promote cognitive health. Ways to inform others about cognitive health included information in Filipino newspapers, and handouts in Filipino languages, distributed in Filipino stores, workplaces, community organizations, and health care facilities. Findings suggest an opportunity to develop public health messages promoting cognitive health that are in-language, published in ethnic-specific media, and that are culturally appropriate for Filipino and other Asian Americans.

  9. Social media management and media environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šiđanin Iva

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the system of services that social media management can offer to a variety of users. As social media systems are emerging, social media management can strengthen teams in social media and help to manage numerous social channels and distribution of social information from one place. Social media management is a system of procedures that are used to manage the flow of information in the environment of social media. This involves connecting with social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Ecademy, YouTube and many others, then the aggregation and management of social data. Social media management services are analysed through various fields, such as managing multiple social media profiles, mail scheduling and filtering, reporting and analytics. Social media management enables managing personal business through social media, which contributes to a significant reduction in expenditures. The paper also discusses the importance of social media management in marketing activities and various forms of social promotion, which allow companies to easily reach their customers.

  10. Effects of a randomized intervention promoting healthy children's meals on children's ordering and dietary intake in a quick-service restaurant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anzman-Frasca, Stephanie; Braun, Abbey C; Ehrenberg, Sarah; Epstein, Leonard H; Gampp, April; Leone, Lucia A; Singh, Anita; Tauriello, Sara

    2018-08-01

    Children's consumption of restaurant foods is associated with higher energy intake and lower nutritional quality compared to foods prepared at home. The aim of this pilot study was to test whether an in-restaurant intervention promoting healthy children's meals (i.e. two meals that met nutrition recommendations and were thus healthier than typical children's meal offerings across leading restaurants) affected children's meal selection and intake. Families with 4-to-8-year-old children were recruited from one location of Anderson's Frozen Custard, a regional quick-service restaurant chain. Families were randomly assigned to return to the restaurant during an intervention or control period and were blinded to group assignment. All families received free meals. During the intervention period families also received placemats featuring two healthy "Kids' Meals of the Day" upon restaurant entry. After families finished dining, researchers recorded children's orders and collected leftovers for quantifying dietary intake via weighed plate waste. Poisson regression and chi-square tests were used to compare children's orders between study groups, and t-tests were used to test for differences in dietary intake among children ordering a promoted healthy entrée (main dish) versus those who did not. Fifty-eight families participated. Children who were exposed to the study placemats prior to ordering ordered a significantly greater number of healthy food components compared to controls (p = 0.03). Overall, in the intervention group, 21% of children ordered a healthy entrée or side dish, versus 7% of controls. Children who ordered one of the promoted healthy entrées consumed less saturated fat across the total meal compared to those who did not (p = 0.04). Manipulating the prominence of healthy choices in restaurants may shift children's meal selections. Future research should build on these initial promising results, aiming to increase the potency of the intervention

  11. Considering the Future of Pharmaceutical Promotions in Social Media Comment on "Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpentier, Francesca Renee Dillman

    2016-02-09

    This commentary explores the implications of increased social media marketing by drug manufacturers, based on findings in Hyosun Kim's article of the major themes in recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letters and notices of violation regarding online direct-to-consumer promotions of pharmaceuticals. Kim's rigorous analysis of FDA letters over a 10-year span highlights a relative abundance of regulatory action toward marketer-controlled websites and sponsored advertisements, compared to branded and unbranded social media messaging. However, social media marketing efforts are increasing, as is FDA attention to these efforts. This commentary explores recent developments and continuing challenges in the FDA's attempts to provide guidance and define pharmaceutical company accountability in marketer-controlled and -uncontrolled claims disseminated through social media. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

  12. Mass media health communication campaigns combined with health-related product distribution: a community guide systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Maren N; Tansil, Kristin A; Elder, Randy W; Soler, Robin E; Labre, Magdala P; Mercer, Shawna L; Eroglu, Dogan; Baur, Cynthia; Lyon-Daniel, Katherine; Fridinger, Fred; Sokler, Lynn A; Green, Lawrence W; Miller, Therese; Dearing, James W; Evans, William D; Snyder, Leslie B; Kasisomayajula Viswanath, K; Beistle, Diane M; Chervin, Doryn D; Bernhardt, Jay M; Rimer, Barbara K

    2014-09-01

    Health communication campaigns including mass media and health-related product distribution have been used to reduce mortality and morbidity through behavior change. The intervention is defined as having two core components reflecting two social marketing principles: (1) promoting behavior change through multiple communication channels, one being mass media, and (2) distributing a free or reduced-price product that facilitates adoption and maintenance of healthy behavior change, sustains cessation of harmful behaviors, or protects against behavior-related disease or injury. Using methods previously developed for the Community Guide, a systematic review (search period, January 1980-December 2009) was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of health communication campaigns that use multiple channels, including mass media, and distribute health-related products. The primary outcome of interest was use of distributed health-related products. Twenty-two studies that met Community Guide quality criteria were analyzed in 2010. Most studies showed favorable behavior change effects on health-related product use (a median increase of 8.4 percentage points). By product category, median increases in desired behaviors ranged from 4.0 percentage points for condom promotion and distribution campaigns to 10.0 percentage points for smoking-cessation campaigns. Health communication campaigns that combine mass media and other communication channels with distribution of free or reduced-price health-related products are effective in improving healthy behaviors. This intervention is expected to be applicable across U.S. demographic groups, with appropriate population targeting. The ability to draw more specific conclusions about other important social marketing practices is constrained by limited reporting of intervention components and characteristics. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Tensor veli palatini electromyography for monitoring Eustachian tube rehabilitation in otitis media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Picciotti, P M; Della Marca, G; D'Alatri, L; Lucidi, D; Rigante, M; Scarano, E

    2017-05-01

    The pathogenesis of otitis media is related to Eustachian tube dysfunction. The tensor veli palatini muscle actively opens the Eustachian tube and promotes middle-ear ventilation. This study describes a technique for paratubal electromyography that uses a surface, non-invasive electrode able to record tensor veli palatini muscle activity during swallowing. Twenty otitis media patients and 10 healthy patients underwent tensor veli palatini electromyography. Activity of this muscle before and after Eustachian tube rehabilitation was also assessed. In 78.5 per cent of patients, the electromyography duration phase and/or amplitude were reduced in the affected side. The muscle action potential was impaired in all patients who underwent Eustachian tube rehabilitation. This study confirmed that Eustachian tube muscle dysfunction has a role in otitis media pathogenesis and showed that muscle activity increases after Eustachian tube rehabilitation therapy.

  14. Identifying Opinion Leaders to Promote Organ Donation on Social Media: Network Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Jingyuan; Salmon, Charles T

    2018-01-09

    In the recent years, social networking sites (SNSs, also called social media) have been adopted in organ donation campaigns, and recruiting opinion leaders for such campaigns has been found effective in promoting behavioral changes. The aim of this paper was to focus on the dissemination of organ donation tweets on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, and to examine the opinion leadership in the retweet network of popular organ donation messages using social network analysis. It also aimed to investigate how personal and social attributes contribute to a user's opinion leadership on the topic of organ donation. All messages about organ donation posted on Weibo from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 were extracted using Python Web crawler. A retweet network with 505,047 nodes and 545,312 edges of the popular messages (n=206) was constructed and analyzed. The local and global opinion leaderships were measured using network metrics, and the roles of personal attributes, professional knowledge, and social positions in obtaining the opinion leadership were examined using general linear model. The findings revealed that personal attributes, professional knowledge, and social positions predicted individual's local opinion leadership in the retweet network of popular organ donation messages. Alternatively, personal attributes and social positions, but not professional knowledge, were significantly associated with global opinion leadership. The findings of this study indicate that health campaign designers may recruit peer leaders in SNS organ donation promotions to facilitate information sharing among the target audience. Users who are unverified, active, well connected, and experienced with information and communications technology (ICT) will accelerate the sharing of organ donation messages in the global environment. Medical professionals such as organ transplant surgeons who can wield a great amount of influence on their direct connections could also effectively

  15. Butterfly Girls; promoting healthy diet and physical activity to young African American girls online: Rationale and design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young African American girls have a high risk of obesity. Online behavior change programs promoting healthy diet and physical activity are convenient and may be effective for reducing disparities related to obesity. This report presents the protocol guiding the design and evaluation of a culturally ...

  16. What we fund Promoting healthy diets

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    NCDP

    consumer, restrictions on marketing, etc.) Analysis of the ... Cost-benefit of inaction on unhealthy food ... Equity: Understanding the value and impact of interventions on different social groups .... alone media campaigns focused on individuals'.

  17. School canteens in the Federal District, Brazil and the promotion of healthy eating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erika Blamires Santos Porto

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To characterize the school cafeterias in the Federal District of Brazil with respect to the promotion of healthy eating in schools. Methods: This is a descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study, with a representative sample of schools with cafeterias in the Federal District, Brazil (n=202. The data were collected from April to November 2010 by means of on-site interviews and a structured questionnaire. The Pearson's chi-squared and Student's t tests were used. Results: A higher prevalence of outsourcing, and few employees and dieticians were observed. The prevailing foods were baked sausage, cheese, or chicken rolls or pastries. It was also found that 42.2% of the schools influence the menu of the cafeterias, and 58.6% of the representatives believe in the possibility of influencing the students' eating habits. However, 68.0% of the respondents do not believe in the economic feasibility of completely healthful school cafeterias. Approximately 30.0% of the respondents carry out activities to promote healthy eating. Conclusion: Most of the school cafeterias in the Federal District do not encourage healthful eating. The high prevalence of outsourced services with little interference from the school community gives high autonomy to the cafeteria's owner, whose priority is the pursuit of profit at the expense of the students' nutritional education. Improving the nutritional quality of school foods should be a continuous interactive effort of the food suppliers, principals, students, parents, and government authorities.

  18. Designing Promotion Strategy of Malang Raya’s Tourism Destination Branding through Audio Visual Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chanira Nuansa

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This study examines the suitability concept of destination branding with existing models of Malang tourism promotion. This research is qualitative by taking the data directly in the form of existing promotional models of Malang, namely: information portal sites, blogs, social networking, and video via the Internet. This study used SWOT analysis to find strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats on existing models of the tourism promotion. The data is analyzed based on destination branding’s concept indicators. Results of analysis are used as a basis in designing solutions for Malang tourism promotion through a new integrated tourism advertising model. Through the analysis we found that video is the most suitable media that used to promote Malang tourism in the form of advertisements. Videos are able to show the objectivity of the fact that intact better through audio-visual form, making it easier to associate the viewer thoughts on the phenomenon of destination. Moreover, video creation of Malang tourism as well as conceptualized ad is still rare. This is an opportunity, because later models of audio-visual advertisements made of this study is expected to be an example for concerned parties to conceptualize the next Malang tourism advertising.Keywords: Advertise, SWOT Analysis, Malang City, tourism promotion

  19. Digital Media-based Health Intervention on the promotion of Women's physical activity: a quasi-experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peyman, Nooshin; Rezai-Rad, Majid; Tehrani, Hadi; Gholian-Aval, Mahdi; Vahedian-Shahroodi, Mohammad; Heidarian Miri, Hamid

    2018-01-15

    Technological advances have caused poor mobility and lower physical activity among humankind. This study was conducted to assess the impact of a digital media-based (multi-media, internet, and mobile phone) health intervention on promotion of women's physical activity. In this quasi-experimental study, 360 women were divided into case and control groups. The digital media-based educational intervention was conducted in two months in the case group electronically, using mail and Internet and telephone platforms. Physical activity was measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) that estimated women's physical activity rate in the previous week. Data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (ANOVA, chi-square, paired and independent t-tests) using SPSS 20. The mean score of knowledge, attitude and level of physical activity in the control group were not significantly different before and after the intervention. While in the case group, this difference before and after the intervention was significant (p digital media-based health education can be effective in improving health-based behavior such as physical activity. Therefore, it seems necessary to develop user-based strategies and strengthen the behavioral change theories and hypotheses based on digital media for effective influence on behavior. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), IRCT20160619028529N5 . Registered December 24, 2017 [retrospectively registered].

  20. CLASSICAL MEDIA RELATIONS AND NEW MEDIA RELATIONS IN SPORT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandru Lucian MIHAI

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Media relations in sport mean maintenance of networks and positive relationships with people in the media to obtain positive media exposure for a sport product (informal and formal information sessions with media representatives. Because of the pervasive influence the media has on marketing success, sport marketers must make concerted efforts to create a positive relationship between their sport event and the media. They may accomplish this by providing the media with press releases, having news conferences, having media-day events (in which the media are invited to interact with the players, coaches, and administrators, providing media guides for the respective sport events and so on. Each of these activities promotes active involvement from the media, which will subsequently contribute to relationship building with the community.

  1. Considering the Future of Pharmaceutical Promotions in Social Media; Comment on “Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Renee Dillman Carpentier

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available This commentary explores the implications of increased social media marketing by drug manufacturers, based on findings in Hyosun Kim’s article of the major themes in recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA warning letters and notices of violation regarding online direct-to-consumer promotions of pharmaceuticals. Kim’s rigorous analysis of FDA letters over a 10-year span highlights a relative abundance of regulatory action toward marketer-controlled websites and sponsored advertisements, compared to branded and unbranded social media messaging. However, social media marketing efforts are increasing, as is FDA attention to these efforts. This commentary explores recent developments and continuing challenges in the FDA’s attempts to provide guidance and define pharmaceutical company accountability in marketer-controlled and -uncontrolled claims disseminated through social media.

  2. Developing a healthy web-based cookbook for pediatric cancer patients and survivors: rationale and methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Rhea; Raber, Margaret; Chandra, Joya

    2015-03-31

    Obesity has been a growing problem among children and adolescents in the United States for a number of decades. Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are more susceptible to the downstream health consequences of obesity such as cardiovascular disease, endocrine issues, and risk of cancer recurrence due to late effects of treatment and suboptimal dietary and physical activity habits. The objective of this study was to document the development of a Web-based cookbook of healthy recipes and nutrition resources to help enable pediatric cancer patients and survivors to lead healthier lifestyles. The Web-based cookbook, named "@TheTable", was created by a committee of researchers, a registered dietitian, patients and family members, a hospital chef, and community advisors and donors. Recipes were collected from several sources including recipe contests and social media. We incorporated advice from current patients, parents, and CCS. Over 400 recipes, searchable by several categories and with accompanying nutritional information, are currently available on the website. In addition to healthy recipes, social media functionality and cooking videos are integrated into the website. The website also features nutrition information resources including nutrition and cooking tip sheets available on several subjects. The "@TheTable" website is a unique resource for promoting healthy lifestyles spanning pediatric oncology prevention, treatment, and survivorship. Through evaluations of the website's current and future use, as well as incorporation into interventions designed to promote energy balance, we will continue to adapt and build this unique resource to serve cancer patients, survivors, and the general public.

  3. Developing a Healthy Web-Based Cookbook for Pediatric Cancer Patients and Survivors: Rationale and Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raber, Margaret

    2015-01-01

    Background Obesity has been a growing problem among children and adolescents in the United States for a number of decades. Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are more susceptible to the downstream health consequences of obesity such as cardiovascular disease, endocrine issues, and risk of cancer recurrence due to late effects of treatment and suboptimal dietary and physical activity habits. Objective The objective of this study was to document the development of a Web-based cookbook of healthy recipes and nutrition resources to help enable pediatric cancer patients and survivors to lead healthier lifestyles. Methods The Web-based cookbook, named “@TheTable”, was created by a committee of researchers, a registered dietitian, patients and family members, a hospital chef, and community advisors and donors. Recipes were collected from several sources including recipe contests and social media. We incorporated advice from current patients, parents, and CCS. Results Over 400 recipes, searchable by several categories and with accompanying nutritional information, are currently available on the website. In addition to healthy recipes, social media functionality and cooking videos are integrated into the website. The website also features nutrition information resources including nutrition and cooking tip sheets available on several subjects. Conclusions The “@TheTable” website is a unique resource for promoting healthy lifestyles spanning pediatric oncology prevention, treatment, and survivorship. Through evaluations of the website’s current and future use, as well as incorporation into interventions designed to promote energy balance, we will continue to adapt and build this unique resource to serve cancer patients, survivors, and the general public. PMID:25840596

  4. EFFECTS OF AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM (HHP) ON THE PROMOTION OF HEALTHY HABITS IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nebot Paradells, Vicente; Pablos Monzó, Ana; Elvira Macagno, Laura; Guzmán Luján, José Francisco; Pablos Abella, Carlos

    2015-12-01

    it is vital to monitor and promote healthy lifestyle habits in early adolescence, as it is a time of changes when future lifestyle habits are formed. a study was conducted to find out the effects of a Healthy Habits Program (HHP) in children between the ages of 10 and 12 years (N = 158). The study included an intervention group (IG) (n = 90), which participated in the HHP for 8 months, and a control group (CG) (n = 100). In order to assess healthy habits in these children we used the Inventory of Healthy Habits (IHH), the reliability of which was previously evaluated (N = 134). the IHH obtained good reliability, Interclass Correlation Coefficient (range .506 - 884; p eating habits initially (p = .564), but by the end of the study (p = .001) the IG showed better habits. As for the other healthy habits indicators, the CG had better habits initially (p = .047), but the score of the IG improved and there were no differences between the groups at the end of the study. it was shown that the IHH is a suitable and reliable questionnaire for studying habits in adolescents. The HHP brought about changes in the IG, which achieved better scores for eating habits and sum of health habits. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  5. Ecotourism Development: Educational Media of Environmental Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohd. Hatta

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available One of appropriate tourism management models to be implemented while maintaining the sustainability and the beauty of the nature is sustainable tourism activities that have low impact on the environment, otherwise known as ecotourism. With the concept of ecotourism, which combines tourism with nature conservation, is believed to develop the rest of the environmental potential. Developing the natural ecotourism with alignments principles on nature and will be very beneficial to humans. Its usefulness is not only availability of a healthy environment and climate, maintaining flora and fauna that increasingly rare, but also can be a direct lecturing media, both formal and informal levels. Availability of valuable educational ecotourism area has to be monitored seriously so that the chain of intergenerational education of nature is not interrupted. Through ecotourism promoting the values of education, future generations will be more familiar with nature as an integral part of life. Keywords: Ecotourism, educational media, environmentCopyright © 2015 by Al-Ta'lim All right reserved

  6. Exploring the potential for a mass media campaign to influence support for a ban on tobacco promotion at the point of sale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Jane A; Davis, K C; Kamyab, K; Farrelly, M C

    2015-02-01

    This study explores whether exposure to advertisements that focus on the negative effects of tobacco industry advertising and promotion at the point of sale (anti-POS advertising) influence: (i) attitude toward POS advertising; (ii) perceived impact of POS advertising on youth smoking; and (iii) support for a ban on tobacco promotion at the POS among adult non-smokers in New York. Data are from a split-sample, experimental study, using an online media tracking survey with embedded TV, radio and print advertising. Exposure to anti-POS advertising was associated with higher odds of holding a negative attitude toward POS advertising (OR 2.43, P promotion at the POS (OR 1.77, P advertisements on youth smoking. Findings suggest the possibility that a mass media campaign could be used to influence public attitude toward POS advertising and support for a ban on tobacco promotion at the POS. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Impact of European Media Education Strategies on Russian Media Education Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikhaleva, Galina V.

    2015-01-01

    The article attempts to examine the impact of European media education theories and approaches on Russian media education evolution basing on a comparative analysis of Russian and European media literacy promotion strategies in the historical context. This influence resulted in the appearance and development of socio-cultural models of media…

  8. A restaurant-based intervention to promote sales of healthy children's menu items: the Kids' Choice Restaurant Program cluster randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayala, Guadalupe X; Castro, Iana A; Pickrel, Julie L; Williams, Christine B; Lin, Shih-Fan; Madanat, Hala; Jun, Hee-Jin; Zive, Michelle

    2016-03-10

    Away-from-home eating is an important dietary behavior with implications on diet quality. Thus, it is an important behavior to target to prevent and control childhood obesity and other chronic health conditions. Numerous studies have been conducted to improve children's dietary intake at home, in early care and education, and in schools; however, few studies have sought to modify the restaurant food environment for children. This study adds to this body of research by describing the development and launch of an innovative intervention to promote sales of healthy children's menu items in independent restaurants in Southern California, United States. This is a cluster randomized trial with eight pair-matched restaurants in San Diego, California. Restaurants were randomized to a menu-only versus menu-plus intervention condition. The menu-only intervention condition involves manager/owner collaboration on the addition of pre-determined healthy children's menu items and kitchen manager/owner collaboration to prepare and plate these items and train kitchen staff. The menu-plus intervention condition involves more extensive manager/owner collaboration and kitchen staff training to select, prepare, and plate new healthy children's menu items, and a healthy children's menu campaign that includes marketing materials and server training to promote the items. The primary outcome is sales of healthy children's menu items over an 18-week period. In addition, dining parties consisting of adults with children under 18 years of age are being observed unobtrusively while ordering and then interviewed throughout the 18-week study period to determine the impact of the intervention on ordering behaviors. Manager/owner interviews and restaurant audits provide additional evidence of impact on customers, employees, and the restaurant environment. Our process evaluation assesses dose delivered, dose received, and intervention fidelity. Successful recruitment of the restaurants has been

  9. The Laugh Model: Reframing and Rebranding Public Health Through Social Media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lister, Cameron; Royne, Marla; Payne, Hannah E; Cannon, Ben; Hanson, Carl; Barnes, Michael

    2015-11-01

    We examined the use of low-cost social media platforms in communicating public health messages and outline the laugh model, a framework through which public health organizations can reach and engage communities. In August 2014, we developed an online campaign (Web site and social media) to help promote healthy family meals in Utah in conjunction with the state and local health departments. By the end of September 2014, a total of 3641 individuals had visited the Utahfamilymeals.org Web site. Facebook ads reached a total of 29 078 people, and 56 900 people were reached through Twitter ads. The per-person price of the campaign was 0.2 cents, and the total estimated target population reach was between 10% and 12%. There are 3 key takeaways from our campaign: use of empowering and engaging techniques may be more effective than use of educational techniques; use of social media Web sites and online marketing tactics can enhance collaboration, interdisciplinary strategies, and campaign effectiveness; and use of social media as a communication platform is often preferable to use of mass media in terms of cost-effectiveness, more precise evaluations of campaign success, and increased sustainability.

  10. Fit, Healthy, and Ready To Learn: A School Health Policy Guide. Part II: Policies To Promote Sun Safety and Prevent Skin Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraser, Katherine

    This publication is a supplementary chapter to "Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: A School Health Policy Guide; Part I: General School Health Policies, Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, and Tobacco-Use Prevention." It discusses various aspects of a complete school policy and plan to promote sun safety. The first section "Purpose…

  11. Try to be healthy, but don't forgo your masculinity: deconstructing men's health discourse in the media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gough, Brendan

    2006-11-01

    The emergence of discourse around men's health has been evident now for at least 10 years across academic, policy and media texts. However, recent research has begun to question some of the assumptions presented concerning masculinity and men's health, particularly within popular media representations. The present paper builds on previous research by interrogating the construction of men's health presented in a recent special feature of a UK national newspaper (The Observer, November 27, 2005). The dataset was subjected to intensive scrutiny using techniques from discourse analysis. Several inter-related discursive patterns were identified which drew upon essentialist notions of masculinity, unquestioned differences between men and women, and constructions of men as naïve, passive and in need of dedicated help. The implications of such representations for health promotion are discussed.

  12. Consumer opinion on social policy approaches to promoting positive body image: Airbrushed media images and disclaimer labels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paraskeva, Nicole; Lewis-Smith, Helena; Diedrichs, Phillippa C

    2017-02-01

    Disclaimer labels on airbrushed media images have generated political attention and advocacy as a social policy approach to promoting positive body image. Experimental research suggests that labelling is ineffective and consumers' viewpoints have been overlooked. A mixed-method study explored British consumers' ( N = 1555, aged 11-78 years) opinions on body image and social policy approaches. Thematic analysis indicated scepticism about the effectiveness of labelling images. Quantitatively, adults, although not adolescents, reported that labelling was unlikely to improve body image. Appearance diversity in media and reorienting social norms from appearance to function and health were perceived as effective strategies. Social policy and research implications are discussed.

  13. Workplace Health Promotion and Mental Health: Three-Year Findings from Partnering Healthy@Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarman, Lisa; Martin, Angela; Venn, Alison; Otahal, Petr; Blizzard, Leigh; Teale, Brook; Sanderson, Kristy

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the association between mental health and comprehensive workplace health promotion (WHP) delivered to an entire state public service workforce (~28,000 employees) over a three-year period. Government departments in a state public service were supported to design and deliver a comprehensive, multi-component health promotion program, Healthy@Work, which targeted modifiable health risks including unhealthy lifestyles and stress. Repeated cross-sectional surveys compared self-reported psychological distress (Kessler-10; K10) at commencement (N = 3406) and after 3 years (N = 3228). WHP availability and participation over time was assessed, and associations between the K10 and exposure to programs estimated. Analyses were repeated for a cohort subgroup (N = 580). Data were weighted for non-response. Participation in any mental health and lifestyle programs approximately doubled after 3 years. Both male and female employees with poorer mental health participated more often over time. Women's psychological distress decreased over time but this change was only partially attributable to participation in WHP, and only to lifestyle interventions. Average psychological distress did not change over time for men. Unexpectedly, program components directly targeting mental health were not associated with distress for either men or women. Cohort results corroborated findings. Healthy@Work was successful in increasing participation across a range of program types, including for men and women with poorer mental health. A small positive association of participation in lifestyle programs with mental health was observed for women but not men. The lack of association of mental health programs may have reflected program quality, its universality of application or other contextual factors.

  14. Healthy and productive workers: using intervention mapping to design a workplace health promotion and wellness program to improve presenteeism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Ammendolia

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Presenteeism is a growing problem in developed countries mostly due to an aging workforce. The economic costs related to presenteeism exceed those of absenteeism and employer health costs. Employers are implementing workplace health promotion and wellness programs to improve health among workers and reduce presenteeism. How best to design, integrate and deliver these programs are unknown. The main purpose of this study was to use an intervention mapping approach to develop a workplace health promotion and wellness program aimed at reducing presenteeism. Methods We partnered with a large international financial services company and used a qualitative synthesis based on an intervention mapping methodology. Evidence from systematic reviews and key articles on reducing presenteeism and implementing health promotion programs was combined with theoretical models for changing behavior and stakeholder experience. This was then systematically operationalized into a program using discussion groups and consensus among experts and stakeholders. Results The top health problem impacting our workplace partner was mental health. Depression and stress were the first and second highest cause of productivity loss respectively. A multi-pronged program with detailed action steps was developed and directed at key stakeholders and health conditions. For mental health, regular sharing focus groups, social networking, monthly personal stories from leadership using webinars and multi-media communications, expert-led workshops, lunch and learn sessions and manager and employee training were part of a comprehensive program. Comprehensive, specific and multi-pronged strategies were developed and aimed at encouraging healthy behaviours that impact presenteeism such as regular exercise, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, smoking cessation, socialization and work-life balance. Limitations of the intervention mapping process included high resource and time

  15. Promoting youth physical activity and healthy weight through schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rye, James A; O'Hara Tompkins, Nancy; Eck, Ronald; Neal, William A

    2008-01-01

    The prevalence of overweight in youth has increased three- to four-fold in the United States since the 1960s. The school environment can play prominently in the mitigation of this epidemic by increasing physical activity opportunities/ levels, decreasing the availability of food/ beverage with added sugar, and enhancing students' scientific understandings about energy balance. The potential to increase energy expenditure goes beyond the school day to include safe routes for walking and biking to school (active transport) as well as the availability of school facilities as a community resource for physical activity outside of school hours. However, school consolidation and siting decisions have profound effects on active transport as well as the school as a community resource. Teachers and adolescents should not be overlooked as important partners in conceiving and carrying out programming that seeks to increase physical activity levels in youth and the broader community. As leaders and health care providers in their communities, physicians are postured to be effective advocates of, and to leverage in their own practice, school-based policies and practices towards promoting healthy weight in youth.

  16. The Norwegian healthy body image programme: study protocol for a randomized controlled school-based intervention to promote positive body image and prevent disordered eating among Norwegian high school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundgot-Borgen, Christine; Bratland-Sanda, Solfrid; Engen, Kethe M E; Pettersen, Gunn; Friborg, Oddgeir; Torstveit, Monica Klungland; Kolle, Elin; Piran, Niva; Sundgot-Borgen, Jorunn; Rosenvinge, Jan H

    2018-03-06

    Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating raise the risk for eating disorders. In the prevention of eating disorders, many programmes have proved partly successful in using cognitive techniques to combat such risk factors. However, specific strategies to actively promote a positive body image are rarely used. The present paper outlines a protocol for a programme integrating the promotion of a positive body image and the prevention of disordered eating. Using a cluster randomized controlled mixed methods design, 30 high schools and 2481 12th grade students were allocated to the Healthy Body Image programme or to a control condition. The intervention comprised three workshops, each of 90 min with the main themes body image, media literacy, and lifestyle. The intervention was interactive in nature, and were led by trained scientists. The outcome measures include standardized instruments administered pre-post intervention, and at 3 and 12 months follow-ups, respectively. Survey data cover feasibility and implementation issues. Qualitative interviews covers experiential data about students' benefits and satisfaction with the programme. The present study is one of the first in the body image and disordered eating literature that integrates a health promotion and a disease prevention approach, as well as integrating standardized outcome measures and experiential findings. Along with mediator and moderator analyses it is expected that the Healthy Body Image programme may prove its efficacy. If so, plans are made with respect to further dissemination as well as communicating the findings to regional and national decision makers in the education and health care services. The study was registered and released at ClinicalTrials.gov 21th August 2016 with the Clinical Trial.gov ID: PRSNCT02901457 . In addition, the study is approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics.

  17. Health promotion in the trucking setting: Understanding Dutch truck drivers' road to healthy lifestyle changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boeijinga, Anniek; Hoeken, Hans; Sanders, José

    2016-10-17

    The working environment, the nature of the work, and the characteristics of truck drivers as a social group typically pose great challenges for the truck drivers' health and health promotion activities aiming to improve it. The purpose was to obtain a better understanding of (a) Dutch truck drivers' perceptions of health and lifestyle themes, and (b) the challenges they experience in their pursuit of a more healthy lifestyle, as a guiding framework for the development of health interventions targeting this occupational group. In this qualitative study, we conducted and analyzed 20 semi-structured interviews and seven cases of participant observations with Dutch truck drivers. Grounded theory was used to analyze the data. Our findings illustrate that Dutch truck drivers wish to improve their lifestyle but have unproductive associations with concepts of healthy living as well as a tendency to downplay their health risks. In addition, they experience barriers within their work and personal environment that prevent them from translating their intentions into actual lifestyle changes. Based on the insights derived from the interviews, we discuss recommendations for the development of more effective health promotion interventions for truck drivers.

  18. Promoting healthy diets and tackling obesity and diet-related chronic diseases: what are the agricultural policy levers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkes, Corinna

    2007-06-01

    Diet-related chronic diseases are now a serious global public health problem. Public health groups are calling for the agricultural sector to play a greater role in tackling the threat. To identify potential points of policy intervention in the agricultural sector that could be leveraged to promote healthy diets and tackle obesity and diet-related chronic diseases. A review of the literature on the dietary implications of agriculture, a conceptual analysis of the issues, and the identification of relevant examples. There are two main potential points of intervention in the agricultural sector that could be leveraged to promote healthy diets: agricultural policies and agricultural production practices. Agricultural policies and practices affect diet through their influence on food availability, price, and nutrient quality, which in turn affects food choices available to consumers. Agricultural policies amenable to intervention include input, production, and trade policies; agricultural production practices amenable to intervention include crop breeding, crop fertilization practices, livestock-feeding practices, and crop systems diversity. It is well-known that agricultural policies and production practices influence what farmers choose to grow. Agricultural policies and production practices could also play a role in influencing what consumers choose to eat. To identify how agricultural policies and practices can usefully contribute toward promoting healthy diets and tackling obesity and diet-related chronic diseases, health policymakers need to examine whether current agricultural policies and production practices are contributing to-or detracting from-efforts to attain dietary goals; where and how could agricultural intervention help achieve dietary goals; and whether there are trade-offs between these interventions and other important concerns, such as undernutrition and the livelihoods of agricultural producers. Given the potential of agriculture to contribute to

  19. Nonprofit Organizations Use of Social Media

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fagerstrøm, Asle; Sørum, Hanne; Vatrapu, Ravi

    2014-01-01

    media survey1 within European Foundation of Drug Helplines members resulted in 16 responses (approximately 38 percentage response rate), representing 10 different European countries. Findings indicated that most drug helplines in the survey have some experience with social media. However, few...... of the drug helpline use social media based on purposeful planning and clear distribution of responsibility. Social media can be used for promoting an event or a sensitizing campaign to create positive value. Facebook is the social media that in general are most frequently used for purposes such as reaching...... a specific audience and promotion. Additionally, findings of the survey show that few drug helplines in the survey monitor social media frequently....

  20. The Influence of advertising media on brand awareness

    OpenAIRE

    Ivana S. Domazet; Ines Đokić; Olja Milovanov

    2017-01-01

    In modern business conditions, the company sends its promotional message through various instruments of promotion, and therefore the different media. One of the instruments of promotion is economic propaganda (advertising), which uses a number of media such as television, radio, newspapers, billboards, Internet and others. By using various media, the company affects the consumer awareness of the brand, spreads information about themselves and the brand, educates consumers, creates a brand ima...

  1. Values Range of Tympanometric Gradient in Otitis Media With Effusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duzer, Sertac; Sakallioglu, Oner; Akyigit, Abdulvahap; Polat, Cahit; Cetiner, Hasan; Susaman, Nihat

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this study was to establish how reliable a given tympanogram is in predicting the presence or absence of a middle ear effusion, and to provide new views for the diagnostic information of tympanometry. The use of tympanometric gradient in addition to static admittance is the focus of this study. The authors enrolled 146 female and 129 male patients. The participants were allocated into groups as follow: Group A1 consisted of 50 healthy children. Group A2 consisted of 86 children with otitis media with effusion. Group B1 consisted of 85 healthy adults. Group B2 consisted of 54 adults with otitis media with effusion. All diagnostic otoscopic examination and tympanometry were performed in both ears. The authors analyzed the distribution of tympanograms in patients with otitis media with effusion and healthy controls. When the right and left ear canal volume of either children or adults with otitis media with effusion compared with healthy controls, no statistically significant different was observed (P > 0.05). On the other hand, the statistically significant difference was detected for the values of compliance, pressure and gradient of either children or adults with otitis media with effusion compared with healthy controls (P effusion. The authors think that tympanometric gradient may be useful to detect the otitis media with effusion.

  2. Promoting Active Learning in Calculus and General Physics through Interactive and Media-Enhanced Lectures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guoqing Tang

    2004-02-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we present an approach of incorporating interactive and media-enhanced lectures to promote active learning in Calculus and General Physics courses. The pedagogical practice of using interactive techniques in lectures to require "heads-on" and "hands-on" learning, and involve students more as active participants than passive receivers is a part of academic curricular reform efforts undertaken currently by the mathematics, physics and chemistry departments at North Carolina A&T State University under the NSF funded project "Talent-21: Gateway for Advancing Science and Mathematics Talents."

  3. Is integration of healthy lifestyle promotion into primary care feasible? Discussion and consensus sessions between clinicians and researchers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arrazola Arantza

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The adoption of a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity, a healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption and abstinence from smoking, is associated with a major decrease in the incidence of chronic diseases and mortality. Primary health-care (PHC services therefore attempt, with rather limited success, to promote such lifestyles in their patients. The objective of the present study is to ascertain the perceptions of clinicians and researchers within the Basque Health System of the factors that hinder or facilitate the integration of healthy lifestyle promotion in routine PHC setting. Methods Formative research based on five consensus meetings held by an expert panel of 12 PHC professionals with clinical and research experience in health promotion, supplied with selected bibliographic material. These meetings were recorded, summarized and the provisional findings were returned to participants in order to improve their validity. Results The Health Belief Model, the Theory of Planned Action, the Social Learning Theory, "stages of change" models and integrative models were considered the most useful by the expert panel. Effective intervention strategies, such as the "5 A's" strategy (assess, advise, agree, assist and arrange are also available. However, none of these can be directly implemented or continuously maintained under current PHC conditions. These strategies should therefore be redesigned by adjusting the intervention objectives and contents to the operation of primary care centres and, in turn, altering the organisation of the centres where they are to be implemented. Conclusion It is recommended to address optimisation of health promotion in PHC from a research perspective in which PHC professionals, researchers and managers of these services cooperate in designing and evaluating innovative programs. Future strategies should adopt a socio-ecological approach in which the health system plays an essential role but

  4. Using Social Media Data to Understand the Impact of Promotional Information on Laypeople’s Discussions: A Case Study of Lynch Syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salloum, Ramzi G; Guo, Yi; Wang, Mo; Prosperi, Mattia; Zhang, Hansi; Du, Xinsong; Ramirez-Diaz, Laura J; He, Zhe

    2017-01-01

    Background Social media is being used by various stakeholders among pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, health care organizations, professionals, and news media as a way of engaging audiences to raise disease awareness and ultimately to improve public health. Nevertheless, it is unclear what effects this health information has on laypeople. Objective This study aimed to provide a detailed examination of how promotional health information related to Lynch syndrome impacts laypeople’s discussions on a social media platform (Twitter) in terms of topic awareness and attitudes. Methods We used topic modeling and sentiment analysis techniques on Lynch syndrome–related tweets to answer the following research questions (RQs): (1) what are the most discussed topics in Lynch syndrome–related tweets?; (2) how promotional Lynch syndrome–related information on Twitter affects laypeople’s discussions?; and (3) what impact do the Lynch syndrome awareness activities in the Colon Cancer Awareness Month and Lynch Syndrome Awareness Day have on laypeople’s discussions and their attitudes? In particular, we used a set of keywords to collect Lynch syndrome–related tweets from October 26, 2016 to August 11, 2017 (289 days) through the Twitter public search application programming interface (API). We experimented with two different classification methods to categorize tweets into the following three classes: (1) irrelevant, (2) promotional health information, and (3) laypeople’s discussions. We applied a topic modeling method to discover the themes in these Lynch syndrome–related tweets and conducted sentiment analysis on each layperson’s tweet to gauge the writer’s attitude (ie, positive, negative, and neutral) toward Lynch syndrome. The topic modeling and sentiment analysis results were elaborated to answer the three RQs. Results Of all tweets (N=16,667), 87.38% (14,564/16,667) were related to Lynch syndrome. Of the Lynch syndrome–related tweets, 81

  5. Using Social Media Data to Understand the Impact of Promotional Information on Laypeople's Discussions: A Case Study of Lynch Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bian, Jiang; Zhao, Yunpeng; Salloum, Ramzi G; Guo, Yi; Wang, Mo; Prosperi, Mattia; Zhang, Hansi; Du, Xinsong; Ramirez-Diaz, Laura J; He, Zhe; Sun, Yuan

    2017-12-13

    Social media is being used by various stakeholders among pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, health care organizations, professionals, and news media as a way of engaging audiences to raise disease awareness and ultimately to improve public health. Nevertheless, it is unclear what effects this health information has on laypeople. This study aimed to provide a detailed examination of how promotional health information related to Lynch syndrome impacts laypeople's discussions on a social media platform (Twitter) in terms of topic awareness and attitudes. We used topic modeling and sentiment analysis techniques on Lynch syndrome-related tweets to answer the following research questions (RQs): (1) what are the most discussed topics in Lynch syndrome-related tweets?; (2) how promotional Lynch syndrome-related information on Twitter affects laypeople's discussions?; and (3) what impact do the Lynch syndrome awareness activities in the Colon Cancer Awareness Month and Lynch Syndrome Awareness Day have on laypeople's discussions and their attitudes? In particular, we used a set of keywords to collect Lynch syndrome-related tweets from October 26, 2016 to August 11, 2017 (289 days) through the Twitter public search application programming interface (API). We experimented with two different classification methods to categorize tweets into the following three classes: (1) irrelevant, (2) promotional health information, and (3) laypeople's discussions. We applied a topic modeling method to discover the themes in these Lynch syndrome-related tweets and conducted sentiment analysis on each layperson's tweet to gauge the writer's attitude (ie, positive, negative, and neutral) toward Lynch syndrome. The topic modeling and sentiment analysis results were elaborated to answer the three RQs. Of all tweets (N=16,667), 87.38% (14,564/16,667) were related to Lynch syndrome. Of the Lynch syndrome-related tweets, 81.43% (11,860/14,564) were classified as promotional and 18

  6. Preventing Obesity among Preschool Children: How Can Child-Care Settings Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity? Research Synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Nicole; Ward, Dianne; Neelon, Sara Benjamin; Story, Mary

    2011-01-01

    Child-care settings provide numerous opportunities to promote healthy eating and physical activity behaviors among preschool children. The majority of U.S. children are placed in some form of non-parental care during their preschool years. While approximately 15 percent of preschool children are primarily cared for by their relatives, most…

  7. Interventions Using Social Media for Cancer Prevention and Management: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Claire Jungyoun; Lee, Young Ji; Demiris, George

    2017-07-27

    Regarding cancer awareness, social media effectively promotes health and supports self-management. Given the diverse study designs, methodologies, and approaches of social media interventions in oncology, it is difficult to determine the effects of social media on cancer prevention and management. We aim to systematically review intervention studies using social media for cancer care. A systematic search, using 7 electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Scopus, EMBASE, and PsycINFO), was conducted to identify surveys and interventions using contemporary social media tools with a focus on cancer. Of the 18 selected studies, 7 were randomized controlled trials. Most studies were conducted for all types of cancer, and some were conducted for breast cancer in the United States, with mostly white female participants. Facebook was the most frequently used platform. Most studies targeted healthy participants providing cancer prevention education. With social media platforms as part of a larger intervention, or the main component of interventions, interventions were overall feasible and showed a significant improvement in cancer prevention and management. Social media tools have the potential to be effective in delivering interventions for cancer prevention and management. However, there was a dearth of studies with rigorous study methodologies to test social media effects on various cancer-related clinical outcomes. Social media use in cancer care will facilitate improved communication and support among patients, caregivers, and clinicians and, ultimately, improved patient care. Clinicians need to carefully harness social media to enhance patient care and clinical outcomes.

  8. What People "Like": Analysis of Social Media Strategies Used by Food Industry Brands, Lifestyle Brands, and Health Promotion Organizations on Facebook and Instagram.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klassen, Karen Michelle; Borleis, Emily S; Brennan, Linda; Reid, Mike; McCaffrey, Tracy A; Lim, Megan Sc

    2018-06-14

    Health campaigns have struggled to gain traction with young adults using social media, even though more than 80% of young adults are using social media at least once per day. Many food industry and lifestyle brands have been successful in achieving high levels of user engagement and promoting their messages; therefore, there may be lessons to be learned by examining the successful strategies commercial brands employ. This study aims to identify and quantify social media strategies used by the food industry and lifestyle brands, and health promotion organizations across the social networking sites Facebook and Instagram. The six most engaging posts from the 10 most popular food industry and lifestyle brands and six health promotion organizations were included in this study. A coding framework was developed to categorize social media strategies, and engagement metrics were collected. Exploratory linear regression models were used to examine associations between strategies used and interactions on Facebook and Instagram. Posts from Facebook (143/227, 63.0%) and Instagram (84/227, 37.0%) were included. Photos (64%) and videos (34%) were used to enhance most posts. Different strategies were most effective for Facebook and Instagram. Strategies associated with higher Facebook interactions included links to purchasable items (beta=0.81, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.13, PInstagram (beta=0.50, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.95, P=.03). Instagram interactions were negatively associated with weight loss (beta=-1.45, 95% CI -2.69 to -0.21, P=.02) and other content (beta=-0.81, 95% CI -1.57 to -.06, P=.04) compared with food content. Health promotion professionals and organizations can improve engagement using positive messaging and tailoring posts appropriate for different social media channels. ©Karen Michelle Klassen, Emily S Borleis, Linda Brennan, Mike Reid, Tracy A McCaffrey, Megan SC Lim. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 14.06.2018.

  9. Workplace Health Promotion and Mental Health: Three-Year Findings from Partnering Healthy@Work.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa Jarman

    Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the association between mental health and comprehensive workplace health promotion (WHP delivered to an entire state public service workforce (~28,000 employees over a three-year period. Government departments in a state public service were supported to design and deliver a comprehensive, multi-component health promotion program, Healthy@Work, which targeted modifiable health risks including unhealthy lifestyles and stress. Repeated cross-sectional surveys compared self-reported psychological distress (Kessler-10; K10 at commencement (N = 3406 and after 3 years (N = 3228. WHP availability and participation over time was assessed, and associations between the K10 and exposure to programs estimated. Analyses were repeated for a cohort subgroup (N = 580. Data were weighted for non-response. Participation in any mental health and lifestyle programs approximately doubled after 3 years. Both male and female employees with poorer mental health participated more often over time. Women's psychological distress decreased over time but this change was only partially attributable to participation in WHP, and only to lifestyle interventions. Average psychological distress did not change over time for men. Unexpectedly, program components directly targeting mental health were not associated with distress for either men or women. Cohort results corroborated findings. Healthy@Work was successful in increasing participation across a range of program types, including for men and women with poorer mental health. A small positive association of participation in lifestyle programs with mental health was observed for women but not men. The lack of association of mental health programs may have reflected program quality, its universality of application or other contextual factors.

  10. Municipal policies and plans of action aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren in Stockholm, Sweden: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guldbrandsson, Karin; Wennerstad, Karin Modig; Rasmussen, Finn

    2009-08-03

    Promoting physical activity and healthy eating habits by structural measures that reach most children in a society is presumably the most sustainable way of preventing development of overweight and obesity in childhood. The main purpose of the present study was to analyse whether policies and plans of action at the central level in municipalities increased the number of measures that aim to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren aged six to 16. Another purpose was to analyse whether demographic and socio-economic characteristics were associated with the level of such measures. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 25 municipalities and 18 town districts in Stockholm County, Sweden. The questions were developed to capture municipal structural work and factors facilitating physical activity and the development of healthy eating habits for children. Local policy documents and plans of action were gathered. Information regarding municipal demographic and socio-economic characteristics was collected from public statistics. Policy documents and plans of action in municipalities and town districts did not seem to influence the number of measures aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren in Stockholm County. Municipal demographic and socio-economic characteristics were, however, shown to influence the number of measures. In town districts with a high total population size, and in municipalities and town districts with a high proportion of adults with more than 12 years of education, a higher level of health-promoting measures was found. In municipalities with a high annual population growth, the number of measures was lower than in municipalities with a lower annual population growth. Another key finding was the lack of agreement between what was reported in the questionnaires regarding existence and contents of local policies and plans of action and what was actually found when these

  11. Social Media Marketing in Russia

    OpenAIRE

    Olgskaya, Kristina

    2017-01-01

    Social media marketing involves the use of social media for connecting with prospective consumers. The study focuses on explaining such notions like social media marketing (SMM), types of SMM, differences between social media and traditional marketing, social media marketing plan, development ways of strategic social media marketing plan and why strategy may fail. This thesis also presents research in Russian social network – Vkontakte, where promotion of Mechanical Engineering programme ...

  12. Does workplace health promotion contribute to job stress reduction? Three-year findings from Partnering Healthy@Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarman, Lisa; Martin, Angela; Venn, Alison; Otahal, Petr; Sanderson, Kristy

    2015-12-24

    Workplace health promotion (WHP) has been proposed as a preventive intervention for job stress, possibly operating by promoting positive organizational culture or via programs promoting healthy lifestyles. The aim of this study was to investigate whether job stress changed over time in association with the availability of, and/or participation in a comprehensive WHP program (Healthy@Work). This observational study was conducted in a diverse public sector organization (~28,000 employees). Using a repeated cross-sectional design with models corroborated using a cohort of repeat responders, self-report survey data were collected via a 40 % employee population random sample in 2010 (N = 3406) and 2013 (N = 3228). Outcomes assessed were effort and reward (self-esteem) components of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) measure of job stress. Exposures were availability of, and participation in, comprehensive WHP. Linear mixed models and Poisson regression were used, with analyses stratified by sex and weighted for non-response. Higher WHP availability was positively associated with higher perceived self-esteem among women. Women's mean reward scores increased over time but were not statistically different (p > 0.05) after 3 years. For men, higher WHP participation was associated with lower perceived effort. Men's mean ERI increased over time. Results were supported in the cohort group. For women, comprehensive WHP availability contributed to a sense of organizational support, potentially impacting the esteem component of reward. Men with higher WHP participation also benefitted but gains were modest over time and may have been hindered by other work environment factors.

  13. New media and tobacco control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Becky

    2012-03-01

    This paper reviews how the tobacco industry is promoting its products online and examines possible regulation models to limit exposure to this form of marketing. Opportunities to use new media to advance tobacco control are also discussed and future research possibilities are proposed. Published articles and grey literature reports were identified through searches of the electronic databases, PUBMED and Google Scholar using a combination of the following search terms: tobacco or smoking and new media, online media, social media, internet media, Web 2.0, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. A possible obstacle to fully realising the benefits of regulating tobacco marketing activities and effectively communicating tobacco control messages is the rapid evolution of the media landscape. New media also offer the tobacco industry a powerful and efficient channel for rapidly countering the denormalising strategies and policies of tobacco control. Evidence of tobacco promotion through online media is emerging, with YouTube being the most researched social media site in the tobacco control field. The explosive rise in Internet use and the shift to these new media being driven by consumer generated content through social platforms may mean that fresh approaches to regulating tobacco industry marketing are needed.

  14. [Sociology of health, social ecology and media democracy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julesz, Máté

    2012-05-27

    The correlation of the sociology of health, social ecology and media democracy is demonstrated in the study. In societies of today, the role of the media is unquestionable in disseminating information relating to health and the environment. According to Paragraph (1) of Article XXI of the Hungarian Constitution of 2011, everyone has the right to a healthy environment. An environmentalist media democracy may forward environmental justice, environmental education, and environmentalist economy, etc. All these are required in order to establish a society where the healthy environment is an objective value.

  15. Evaluation of a mass media campaign promoting using help to quit smoking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Laura A; Parvanta, Sarah A; Jeong, Michelle; Hornik, Robert C

    2014-05-01

    Although there is evidence that promoting individual cessation aids increases their utilization, mass media campaigns highlighting the benefit of using help to quit have not been evaluated. The effects of a Philadelphia adult smoking-cessation media campaign targeting using help in ad taglines were analyzed from March to November 2012. This study distinctively analyzed the campaign's impact at both the population level (effects on the average person) and the individual level (effects among those who reported exposure). The 16-month mass media campaign aired in Philadelphia PA from December 2010 to March 2012. A representative sample of adult Philadelphia smokers was interviewed by telephone at baseline (n=491) and new samples were interviewed monthly throughout the campaign (n=2,786). In addition, a subsample of these respondents was reinterviewed 3 months later (n=877). On average, participants reported seeing campaign ads four times per week. Among individual respondents, each additional campaign exposure per week increased the likelihood of later reporting using help (OR=1.08, p<0.01), adjusting for baseline use of help and other potential confounders. This corresponded to a 5% increase in the use of help for those with average exposure relative to those with no exposure. Cross-sectional associations between individual campaign exposure and intentions to use help were consistent with these lagged findings. However, there was no evidence of population-level campaign effects on use of help. Although the campaign was effective at the individual level, its effects were too small to have a population-detectable impact. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The Laugh Model: Reframing and Rebranding Public Health Through Social Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Royne, Marla; Payne, Hannah E.; Cannon, Ben; Hanson, Carl; Barnes, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. We examined the use of low-cost social media platforms in communicating public health messages and outline the laugh model, a framework through which public health organizations can reach and engage communities. Methods. In August 2014, we developed an online campaign (Web site and social media) to help promote healthy family meals in Utah in conjunction with the state and local health departments. Results. By the end of September 2014, a total of 3641 individuals had visited the Utahfamilymeals.org Web site. Facebook ads reached a total of 29 078 people, and 56 900 people were reached through Twitter ads. The per-person price of the campaign was 0.2 cents, and the total estimated target population reach was between 10% and 12%. Conclusions. There are 3 key takeaways from our campaign: use of empowering and engaging techniques may be more effective than use of educational techniques; use of social media Web sites and online marketing tactics can enhance collaboration, interdisciplinary strategies, and campaign effectiveness; and use of social media as a communication platform is often preferable to use of mass media in terms of cost-effectiveness, more precise evaluations of campaign success, and increased sustainability. PMID:26378824

  17. Using digital media to promote kidney disease education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Karen; Briggs, Michael; Oleynik, Veronica; Cullen, Mac; Jones, Jewel; Newman, Eileen; Narva, Andrew

    2013-07-01

    Health-care providers and patients increasingly turn to the Internet-websites as well as social media platforms-for health-related information and support. Informed by research on audience behaviors and preferences related to digital health information, the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) developed a comprehensive and user-friendly digital ecosystem featuring content and platforms relevant for each audience. NKDEP's analysis of website metrics and social media conversation mapping related to CKD revealed gaps and opportunities, informing the development of a digital strategy to position NKDEP as a trustworthy digital source for evidence-based kidney disease information. NKDEP launched a redesigned website (www.nkdep.nih.gov) with enhanced content for multiple audiences as well as a complementary social media presence on Twitter and Facebook serving to drive traffic to the website as well as actively engage target audiences in conversations about kidney disease. The results included improved website metrics and increasing social media engagement among consumers and health-care providers. NKDEP will continue to monitor trends, explore new directions, and work to improve communication across digital platforms. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. Use of Web 2.0 Social Media Platforms to Promote Community-Engaged Research Dialogs: A Preliminary Program Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdez Soto, Miguel; Bishop, Shawn G; Aase, Lee A; Timimi, Farris K; Montori, Victor M; Patten, Christi A

    2016-01-01

    Background Community-engaged research is defined by the Institute of Medicine as the process of working collaboratively with groups of people affiliated by geographic proximity, special interests, or similar situations with respect to issues affecting their well-being. Traditional face-to-face community-engaged research is limited by geographic location, limited in resources, and/or uses one-way communications. Web 2.0 technologies including social media are novel communication channels for community-engaged research because these tools can reach a broader audience while promoting bidirectional dialogs. Objective This paper reports on a preliminary program evaluation of the use of social media platforms for promoting engagement of researchers and community representatives in dialogs about community-engaged research. Methods For this pilot program evaluation, the Clinical and Translational Science Office for Community Engagement in Research partnered with the Social Media Network at our institution to create a WordPress blog and Twitter account. Both social media platforms were facilitated by a social media manager. We used descriptive analytics for measuring engagement with WordPress and Twitter over an 18-month implementation period during 2014-2016. For the blog, we examined type of user (researcher, community representative, other) and used content analysis to generate the major themes from blog postings. For use of Twitter, we examined selected demographics and impressions among followers. Results There were 76 blog postings observed from researchers (48/76, 64%), community representatives (23/76, 32%) and funders (5/76, 8%). The predominant themes of the blog content were research awareness and dissemination of community-engaged research (35/76, 46%) and best practices (23/76, 30%). For Twitter, we obtained 411 followers at the end of the 18-month evaluation period, with an increase of 42% (from 280 to 411) over the final 6 months. Followers reported varied

  19. Use of Web 2.0 Social Media Platforms to Promote Community-Engaged Research Dialogs: A Preliminary Program Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdez Soto, Miguel; Balls-Berry, Joyce E; Bishop, Shawn G; Aase, Lee A; Timimi, Farris K; Montori, Victor M; Patten, Christi A

    2016-09-09

    Community-engaged research is defined by the Institute of Medicine as the process of working collaboratively with groups of people affiliated by geographic proximity, special interests, or similar situations with respect to issues affecting their well-being. Traditional face-to-face community-engaged research is limited by geographic location, limited in resources, and/or uses one-way communications. Web 2.0 technologies including social media are novel communication channels for community-engaged research because these tools can reach a broader audience while promoting bidirectional dialogs. This paper reports on a preliminary program evaluation of the use of social media platforms for promoting engagement of researchers and community representatives in dialogs about community-engaged research. For this pilot program evaluation, the Clinical and Translational Science Office for Community Engagement in Research partnered with the Social Media Network at our institution to create a WordPress blog and Twitter account. Both social media platforms were facilitated by a social media manager. We used descriptive analytics for measuring engagement with WordPress and Twitter over an 18-month implementation period during 2014-2016. For the blog, we examined type of user (researcher, community representative, other) and used content analysis to generate the major themes from blog postings. For use of Twitter, we examined selected demographics and impressions among followers. There were 76 blog postings observed from researchers (48/76, 64%), community representatives (23/76, 32%) and funders (5/76, 8%). The predominant themes of the blog content were research awareness and dissemination of community-engaged research (35/76, 46%) and best practices (23/76, 30%). For Twitter, we obtained 411 followers at the end of the 18-month evaluation period, with an increase of 42% (from 280 to 411) over the final 6 months. Followers reported varied geographic location (321/411, 78

  20. Healthy Parent Carers programme: development and feasibility of a novel group-based health-promotion intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandra J. Borek

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Parent carers of disabled children report poor physical health and mental wellbeing. They experience high levels of stress and barriers to engagement in health-related behaviours and with ‘standard’ preventive programmes (e.g. weight loss programmes. Interventions promoting strategies to improve health and wellbeing of parent carers are needed, tailored to their specific needs and circumstances. Methods We developed a group-based health promotion intervention for parent carers by following six steps of the established Intervention Mapping approach. Parent carers co-created the intervention programme and were involved in all stages of the development and testing. We conducted a study of the intervention with a group of parent carers to examine the feasibility and acceptability. Standardised questionnaires were used to assess health and wellbeing pre and post-intervention and at 2 month follow up. Participants provided feedback after each session and took part in a focus group after the end of the programme. Results The group-based Healthy Parent Carers programme was developed to improve health and wellbeing through engagement with eight achievable behaviours (CLANGERS – Connect, Learn, be Active, take Notice, Give, Eat well, Relax, Sleep, and by promoting empowerment and resilience. The manualised intervention was delivered by two peer facilitators to a group of seven parent carers. Feedback from participants and facilitators was strongly positive. The study was not powered or designed to test effectiveness but changes in measures of participants’ wellbeing and depression were in a positive direction both at the end of the intervention and 2 months later which suggest that there may be a potential to achieve benefit. Conclusions The Healthy Parent Carers programme appears feasible and acceptable. It was valued by, and was perceived to have benefited participants. The results will underpin future refinement of the

  1. Healthy Swimming/Recreational Water

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Medical Professionals En Español Publications, Data, & Statistics Healthy Swimming Resources Health Promotion Materials Find Your State Training & ... Announcements Outbreak Response Toolkits CDC at Work: Healthy Swimming Fast Facts Index of Water-Related Topics Model ...

  2. Giving offspring a healthy start: parents' experiences of health promotion and lifestyle change during pregnancy and early parenthood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edvardsson Kristina

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There are good opportunities in Sweden for health promotion targeting expectant parents and parents of young children, as almost all are reached by antenatal and child health care. In 2005, a multisectoral child health promotion programme (the Salut Programme was launched to further strengthen such efforts. Methods Between June and December 2010 twenty-four in-depth interviews were conducted separately with first-time mothers and fathers when their child had reached 18 months of age. The aim was to explore their experiences of health promotion and lifestyle change during pregnancy and early parenthood. Qualitative manifest and latent content analysis was applied. Results Parents reported undertaking lifestyle changes to secure the health of the fetus during pregnancy, and in early parenthood to create a health-promoting environment for the child. Both women and men portrayed themselves as highly receptive to health messages regarding the effect of their lifestyle on fetal health, and they frequently mentioned risks related to tobacco and alcohol, as well as toxins and infectious agents in specific foods. However, health promotion strategies in pregnancy and early parenthood did not seem to influence parents to make lifestyle change primarily to promote their own health; a healthy lifestyle was simply perceived as 'common knowledge'. Although trust in health care was generally high, both women and men described some resistance to what they saw as preaching, or very directive counselling about healthy living and the lack of a holistic approach from health care providers. They also reported insufficient engagement with fathers in antenatal care and child health care. Conclusion Perceptions about risks to the offspring's health appear to be the primary driving force for lifestyle change during pregnancy and early parenthood. However, as parents' motivation to prioritise their own health per se seems to be low during this period

  3. #LancerHealth: Using Twitter and Instagram as a tool in a campus wide health promotion initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santarossa, Sara; Woodruff, Sarah J

    2018-02-05

    The present study aimed to explore using popular technology that people already have/use as a health promotion tool, in a campus wide social media health promotion initiative, entitled #LancerHealth . During a two-week period the university community was asked to share photos on Twitter and Instagram of What does being healthy on campus look like to you ?, while tagging the image with #LancerHealth . All publically tagged media was collected using the Netlytic software and analysed. Text analysis (N=234 records, Twitter; N=141 records, Instagram) revealed that the majority of the conversation was positive and focused on health and the university. Social network analysis, based on five network properties, showed a small network with little interaction. Lastly, photo coding analysis (N=71 unique image) indicated that the majority of the shared images were of physical activity (52%) and on campus (80%). Further research into this area is warranted.

  4. Insta-Grams: The Effect of Consumer Weight on Reactions to Healthy Food Posts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinard, Brian R

    2016-08-01

    Each day, social networking sites become increasingly inundated with food imagery. Since many of these images are of fresh, vibrant, and healthy eats, photo sharing of food through social media should have a long-term positive effect on consumption habits. Yet, obesity rates in the United States continue to rise, suggesting that people are spending more time posting images of healthy foods and paying less attention to the actual foods they consume. This confounding relationship could be explained by consumer weight, in that overweight consumers desire to engage with social media maybe for the purpose of expressing, presenting, and identifying with a healthy lifestyle. In the context of food posts, individuals higher in body mass index may be more likely to engage in social media activity (e.g., likes, shares, comments) that validates healthy food choices to others in their online community. A between-subjects experimental design tested this proposed effect using a manipulated Instagram post of a healthy food item (i.e., black bean veggie burger). Results indicate that obese individuals are more likely to engage with healthy food posts compared with their normal weight and overweight counterparts. The effect is even more pronounced when posts are absent of prior social media activity. Based upon these results, obese individuals are encouraged to establish and maintain social network connections with others who routinely post images of healthy food in their social media feeds. Limitations and directions for future research are provided.

  5. Austria: Media Dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Signitzer, Benno

    1978-01-01

    Describes the Austrian broadcast industry which is dominated by foreign influences. Suggests the restoration of autonomy of Austria's media through a system of promotion of and subsidies to Austrian media efforts, as well as a decentralization of foreign influence to increase the quality and competitiveness of domestic production. (JMF)

  6. Tools for healthy tribes: improving access to healthy foods in Indian country.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischhacker, Sheila; Byrd, Randi R; Ramachandran, Gowri; Vu, Maihan; Ries, Amy; Bell, Ronny A; Evenson, Kelly R

    2012-09-01

    There is growing recognition that policymakers can promote access to healthy, affordable foods within neighborhoods, schools, childcare centers, and workplaces. Despite the disproportionate risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes among American Indian children and adults, comparatively little attention has been focused on the opportunities tribal policymakers have to implement policies or resolutions to promote access to healthy, affordable foods. This paper presents an approach for integrating formative research into an action-oriented strategy of developing and disseminating tribally led environmental and policy strategies to promote access to and consumption of healthy, affordable foods. This paper explains how the American Indian Healthy Eating Project evolved through five phases and discusses each phase's essential steps involved, outcomes derived, and lessons learned. Using community-based participatory research and informed by the Social Cognitive Theory and ecologic frameworks, the American Indian Healthy Eating Project was started in fall 2008 and has evolved through five phases: (1) starting the conversation; (2) conducting multidisciplinary formative research; (3) strengthening partnerships and tailoring policy options; (4) disseminating community-generated ideas; and (5) accelerating action while fostering sustainability. Collectively, these phases helped develop and disseminate Tools for Healthy Tribes-a toolkit used to raise awareness among participating tribal policymakers of their opportunities to improve access to healthy, affordable foods. Formal and informal strategies can engage tribal leaders in the development of culturally appropriate and tribe-specific sustainable strategies to improve such access, as well as empower tribal leaders to leverage their authority toward raising a healthier generation of American Indian children. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Understanding Social Media Entrepreneurship to promote innovation within SMEs

    OpenAIRE

    Beckinsale, M. J. J.; Romano, S.

    2017-01-01

    TOPIC Social media has transformed the delivery, structure and availability of information, putting the once capital-intensive role of broadcasting (Simmons et al., 2011) within the reach of individuals. New interactions are generated by social media technologies (Hanse et al., 2010); connectivity is enhanced by human networks (Hwang and Kim, 2015). Blackshaw & Nazaro (2006, cited in Xiang and Gretzel 2010) define Social Media as Internet-based applications that carry consumer-generated co...

  8. Leveraging Social Media to Promote Public Health Knowledge: Example of Cancer Awareness via Twitter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Songhua; Markson, Christopher; Costello, Kaitlin L; Xing, Cathleen Y; Demissie, Kitaw; Llanos, Adana Am

    2016-01-01

    As social media becomes increasingly popular online venues for engaging in communication about public health issues, it is important to understand how users promote knowledge and awareness about specific topics. The aim of this study is to examine the frequency of discussion and differences by race and ethnicity of cancer-related topics among unique users via Twitter. Tweets were collected from April 1, 2014 through January 21, 2015 using the Twitter public streaming Application Programming Interface (API) to collect 1% of public tweets. Twitter users were classified into racial and ethnic groups using a new text mining approach applied to English-only tweets. Each ethnic group was then analyzed for frequency in cancer-related terms within user timelines, investigated for changes over time and across groups, and measured for statistical significance. Observable usage patterns of the terms "cancer", "breast cancer", "prostate cancer", and "lung cancer" between Caucasian and African American groups were evident across the study period. We observed some variation in the frequency of term usage during months known to be labeled as cancer awareness months, particularly September, October, and November. Interestingly, we found that of the terms studied, "colorectal cancer" received the least Twitter attention. The findings of the study provide evidence that social media can serve as a very powerful and important tool in implementing and disseminating critical prevention, screening, and treatment messages to the community in real-time. The study also introduced and tested a new methodology of identifying race and ethnicity among users of the social media. Study findings highlight the potential benefits of social media as a tool in reducing racial and ethnic disparities.

  9. The pregnancy: time for a new beginning! : exploring opportunities and challenges for healthy nutrition promotion

    OpenAIRE

    Szwajcer, E.M.

    2007-01-01

    In literature it has been suggested that there are certain special and critical transitions in life that my have a long-term impact on health and health behaviours in later periods of the life course. This is also known as the Life Course Perspective (LCP). The purpose of this thesis was to contribute to the rationale of healthy nutrition promotion activities aimed at women and their health behaviour in and around pregnancy, as such a special and critical transition in life. This was done by ...

  10. Effects of Healthy Families New York on the Promotion of Maternal Parenting Competencies and the Prevention of Harsh Parenting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, M. L.; Dumont, K.; Mitchell-Herzfeld, S. D.; Walden, N. J.; Greene, R.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives: This paper examines the effectiveness of the Healthy Families New York (HFNY) home visiting program in promoting parenting competencies and preventing maladaptive parenting behaviors in mothers at risk for child abuse and neglect. Methods: The study used microlevel observational assessments of mother-child interactions in the third…

  11. Measuring Media Literacy for Media Education: Development of a Questionnaire for Teachers' Competencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simons, Mathea; Meeus, Will; T'Sas, Jan

    2017-01-01

    Effective media education requires that teachers have sufficient media literacy competencies as well as the competencies to promote media literacy in students. This article describes the development of a questionnaire to measure these competencies individually or as a team. The questionnaire was developed in five stages. A systematic and critical…

  12. The influence of media characters on children's food choices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotler, Jennifer A; Schiffman, Jennifer M; Hanson, Katherine G

    2012-01-01

    Two experiments were conducted to assess the role of media characters in influencing children's food choices; the first focused on children's self-reported preference, whereas the second focused on actual choice. The results of the experiments suggest that popular characters can make a difference in encouraging children to select one food over another. In the first experiment, children were more likely to indicate a preference for one food over another when one was associated with characters that they liked and with whom they were familiar. This effect was particularly strong when a sugary or salty snack branded by a favored character was competing with a healthier option branded by an unknown character or no character. Alternatively, when children were asked to choose between a healthy food and a sugary or salty snack, branding of the healthy food with a favored character did not significantly change appeal of that healthy snack. However, when foods within the same category (i.e., 2 vegetables, 2 fruits, or 2 grains) were asked to compete against each other, character branding strongly influenced children's food choice. Findings from the second experiment suggest that children are more willing to try more pieces of a healthy food if a favored character, in comparison with an unknown character, is promoting that food.

  13. A restaurant-based intervention to promote sales of healthy children’s menu items: the Kids’ Choice Restaurant Program cluster randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guadalupe X. Ayala

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Away-from-home eating is an important dietary behavior with implications on diet quality. Thus, it is an important behavior to target to prevent and control childhood obesity and other chronic health conditions. Numerous studies have been conducted to improve children’s dietary intake at home, in early care and education, and in schools; however, few studies have sought to modify the restaurant food environment for children. This study adds to this body of research by describing the development and launch of an innovative intervention to promote sales of healthy children’s menu items in independent restaurants in Southern California, United States. Methods This is a cluster randomized trial with eight pair-matched restaurants in San Diego, California. Restaurants were randomized to a menu-only versus menu-plus intervention condition. The menu-only intervention condition involves manager/owner collaboration on the addition of pre-determined healthy children’s menu items and kitchen manager/owner collaboration to prepare and plate these items and train kitchen staff. The menu-plus intervention condition involves more extensive manager/owner collaboration and kitchen staff training to select, prepare, and plate new healthy children’s menu items, and a healthy children’s menu campaign that includes marketing materials and server training to promote the items. The primary outcome is sales of healthy children’s menu items over an 18-week period. In addition, dining parties consisting of adults with children under 18 years of age are being observed unobtrusively while ordering and then interviewed throughout the 18-week study period to determine the impact of the intervention on ordering behaviors. Manager/owner interviews and restaurant audits provide additional evidence of impact on customers, employees, and the restaurant environment. Our process evaluation assesses dose delivered, dose received, and intervention

  14. Thought-shape fusion in young healthy females appears after vivid imagination of thin ideals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyssen, Andrea; Coelho, Jennifer S; Wilhelm, Peter; Zimmermann, Grégoire; Munsch, Simone

    2016-09-01

    It has been shown that exposure to female thin ideals in media has minimal to moderate direct effects on body image satisfaction (BIS), mood and dysfunctional eating in healthy young women. Evidence has been found for several intervening variables such as social comparison processes. Accordingly it is assumed, that cognitive processing (rather than mere media exposure) is crucial. Consequently, vivid imagination of thin ideals after exposure to a fashion magazine was induced in order to trigger cognitive processes. Changes in mood, BIS and resulting bodyrelated cognitive distortions (Thought-Shape Fusion Body, TSF-B) were assessed. A total of 91 healthy women (mean age 21.9 years, SD = 2.0) were exposed to either a fashion magazine (thin-ideal group) or a nature magazine (control group) in a waiting room design. Afterwards they were instructed to vividly imagine either the thin ideals or landscapes. When exposed to thin ideals, a significant decrease in mood and BIS emerged after vivid imagination, but not after mere magazine exposure. Imagining thin ideals triggered body-related cognitive distortions (TSF-B). A higher degree of eating disorder (ED) symptomatology amplified this effect. These findings apply to young healthy females and cannot be generalized to samples with obesity, EDs or males. Internal validity is limited since the intensity of the exposure has not been systematically controlled. Vivid imagination of thin ideals promoted by magazines results in impaired mood and BIS and moreover in body-related cognitive distortions (TSF-B) in healthy women, especially, for those with stronger ED symptomatology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A formative evaluation of social media campaign to reduce adolescent dating violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert, Danielle N; Bishop, Lauren E; Guetig, Stephanie; Frew, Paula M

    2014-11-12

    The Emory Jane Fonda Center implemented the Start Strong Atlanta social marketing campaign, "Keep It Strong ATL", in 2007 to promote the development of healthy adolescent relationships and to foster the prevention of adolescent dating abuse among 11-14 year olds. A formative evaluation was conducted to understand whether messages directed at the target audience were relevant to the program's relationship promotion and violence prevention goals, and whether the "Web 2.0" social media channels of communication (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr, and Pinterest) were reaching the intended audience. Mixed methodologies included qualitative interviews and a key informant focus group, a cross-sectional survey, and web analytics. Qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative methodology informed by grounded theory. Descriptive statistics were generated from survey data, and web analytics provided user information and traffic patterns. Results indicated that the Keep It Strong ATL social marketing campaign was a valuable community resource that had potential for broader scope and greater reach. The evaluation team learned the importance of reaching adolescents through Web 2.0 platforms, and the need for message dissemination via peers. Survey results indicated that Facebook (ranked 6.5 out of 8) was the highest rated social media outlet overall, and exhibited greatest appeal and most frequent visits, yet analytics revealed that only 3.5% of "likes" were from the target audience. These results indicate that the social media campaign is reaching predominantly women (76.5% of viewership) who are outside of the target age range of 11-14 years. While the social media campaign was successfully launched, the findings indicate the need for a more focused selection of communication channels, timing of media updates to maximize visibility, balancing message tone and delivery, and incorporating differentiated messaging for the target audiences. Collaboration with

  16. Human umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells promote interleukin-17 production from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy donors and systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, S; Hu, J; Chen, Y; Yuan, T; Hu, H; Li, S

    2016-03-01

    Inflammation instigated by interleukin (IL)-17-producing cells is central to the development and pathogenesis of several human autoimmune diseases and animal models of autoimmunity. The expansion of IL-17-producing cells from healthy donors is reportedly promoted by mesenchymal stem cells derived from fetal bone marrow. In the present study, human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were examined for their effects on lymphocytes from healthy donors and from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Significantly higher levels of IL-17 were produced when CD4(+) T cells from healthy donors were co-cultured with hUC-MSCs than those that were cultured alone. Blocking experiments identified that this effect might be mediated partially through prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and IL-1β, without IL-23 involvement. We then co-cultured hUC-MSCs with human CD4(+) T cells from systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Ex-vivo inductions of IL-17 by hUC-MSCs in stimulated lymphocytes were significantly higher in SLE patients than in healthy donors. This effect was not observed for IL-23. Taken together, our results represent that hUC-MSCs can promote the IL-17 production from CD4(+) T cells in both healthy donor and SLE patients. PGE2 and IL-1β might also be partially involved in the promotive effect of hUC-MSCs. © 2015 British Society for Immunology.

  17. Unlabelled advertorials in Slovenian life-style press: a study of the promotion of health products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovacic, Melita Poler; Erjavec, Karmen; Stular, Katarina

    2011-01-01

    The paper analyses unlabelled advertorials about health products in four life-style magazines and three daily newspapers' life-style supplements in Slovenia. Based on 250 hours of observing the production practice, 20 in-depth interviews with the main participants and a textual analysis of 247 advertorials, supported by three detailed case studies, the process of unlabelled advertorial production was unveiled, reasons for their production explained and their discursive elements of promotion uncovered. Despite their typical news-like appearance, advertorials focus on a product's positive characteristics only and represent an oversimplified viewpoint on health, primarily oriented towards the interest of the pharmaceutical industry. In advertorials, readers are instructed in healthy living and caring about their health through buying the promoted product. No particular differences were found between the magazines and quality dailies' supplements, indicating that the advertorial practice has become a common part of the Slovenian press media scene. The outburst of advertorials in Slovenia is outstanding due to the lack of historical democracy, problems with the supervision of legal transgressions, the small media and advertising market, economic downturns and the financial weakness of the media.

  18. Depressive symptoms impact health-promoting lifestyle behaviors and quality of life in healthy women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savoy, Suzanne M; Penckofer, Sue

    2015-01-01

    Depressive symptoms are an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). More than 15% of persons with CVD have depressive symptoms, which are twice as likely to occur in women. Depressive symptoms in women being screened for CVD have not been well studied. The relationships between depressive symptoms, health-promoting lifestyle behaviors, heart disease risk awareness, cardiac risk, and quality of life (QOL) in women were investigated. Whether the effect of depressive symptoms on QOL was mediated by cardiac risk and/or health-promoting lifestyle behaviors was also examined. The Wilson-Cleary Health-Related Quality of Life Model guided this descriptive study. A convenience sample of 125 women was recruited from cardiac health screening events. The study measurements were the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; the Framingham risk score; the Ferrans-Powers Quality of Life Index Generic Version-III; the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II; and questions related to heart disease risk, awareness of heart disease risk, health history, and demographics. Body mass index, percentage of body fat, and lipid profile were also measured. More than one-third (34%) of the women reported significant depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were not associated with cardiac risk or risk awareness but were inversely associated with health-promoting lifestyle behaviors (r = -0.37, P lifestyle behaviors (odds ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-0.97; P lifestyle behaviors mediated the association between depressive symptoms and QOL. Depressive symptoms contribute significantly to health-promoting lifestyle behaviors and QOL for women. Early detection and treatment of depressive symptoms are important for participation in healthy lifestyle behaviors, which could result in improved QOL.

  19. The Collective Impact Model and Its Potential for Health Promotion: Overview and Case Study of a Healthy Retail Initiative in San Francisco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flood, Johnna; Minkler, Meredith; Hennessey Lavery, Susana; Estrada, Jessica; Falbe, Jennifer

    2015-10-01

    As resources for health promotion become more constricted, it is increasingly important to collaborate across sectors, including the private sector. Although many excellent models for cross-sector collaboration have shown promise in the health field, collective impact (CI), an emerging model for creating larger scale change, has yet to receive much study. Complementing earlier collaboration approaches, CI has five core tenets: a shared agenda, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and a central infrastructure. In this article, we describe the CI model and its key dimensions and constructs. We briefly compare CI to community coalition action theory and discuss our use of the latter to provide needed detail as we apply CI in a critical case study analysis of the Tenderloin Healthy Corner Store Coalition in San Francisco, California. Using Yin's multimethod approach, we illustrate how CI strategies, augmented by the community coalition action theory, are being used, and with what successes or challenges, to help affect community- and policy-level change to reduce tobacco and alcohol advertising and sales, while improving healthy, affordable, and sustainable food access. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of CI as a framework for health promotion, as well as the benefits, challenges, and initial outcomes of the healthy retail project and its opportunities for scale-up. Implications for health promotion practice and research also are discussed. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

  20. Composing Focus: Shaping Temporal, Social, Media, Social Media, and Attentional Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fife, Jane

    2017-01-01

    Writers must learn to control factors that influence the ability to focus, especially in what some call a culture of distraction. In our efforts to promote metacognition and flexible writing processes, writing teachers need to engage students in study and discussion of factors in our temporal, social, media, social media, and attentional…

  1. Promotion of adolescent reproductive health and healthy living. Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-12-01

    This article discusses a 3-year project, "Promotion of Adolescent Reproductive Health and Healthy Living," which was implemented by the Federation of Family Planning Associations, Malaysia. The project seeks to achieve the following: 1) development of a reproductive health of adolescent module (RHAM) for trainers and educators; 2) training of trainers; 3) sharing of adolescent reproductive health experiences in Asian countries; and 4) setting up three service models in Sabah, Selangor, and Terengganu to provide reproductive health (RH) care to adolescents and youth. The first part of the RHAM with the trainer's manual has been finalized and will be tested in a workshop. The second part, a teacher's guide, is under preparation. A series of training on the use of the RHAM will be conducted including a 5-day national workshop, which will be followed by several state level workshops. The three service models being set up have specific orientations. The Sabah model is putting up a youth clinic for adolescents within its clinic network. The Selangor model is developing a Youth Resource Center for training and youth involvement in RH activities. Lastly, the Terengganu family planning association (FPA) has developed a Youth Center web site, which features the history, mission, and activities of the Terengganu FPA.

  2. Healthcare workers' participation in a healthy-lifestyle-promotion project in western Sweden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Börjesson Mats

    2011-06-01

    supposedly good knowledge of health-related issues, HCWs reporting relatively unfavourable lifestyles are not more motivated to participate. As HCWs are key actors in promoting healthy lifestyles to other groups (such as patients, it is of utmost importance to find strategies to engage this professional group in activities that promote their own health.

  3. Effect of a school-based intervention to promote healthy lifestyles in 7–11 year old children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stensel David J

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Physical inactivity is recognised as a public health concern within children and interventions to increase physical activity are needed. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of a school-based healthy lifestyles intervention on physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, body composition, knowledge, and psychological variables. Method A non-randomised controlled study involving 8 primary schools (4 intervention, 4 control. Participants were 589 children aged 7–11 years. The intervention lasted 10 months and comprised a CD-rom learning and teaching resource for teachers; an interactive website for pupils, teachers and parents; two highlight physical activity events (1 mile school runs/walks; a local media campaign; and a summer activity wall planner and record. Primary outcome measures were objectively measured physical activity (pedometers and accelerometers and fruit and vegetable consumption. Secondary outcomes included body mass index, waist circumference, estimated percent body fat, knowledge, psychological variables. Multi-level modelling was employed for the data analysis. Results Relative to children in control schools, those in intervention schools significantly increased their total time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA (by 9 minutes/day vs a decrease of 10 minutes/day, their time in MVPA bouts lasting at least one minute (10 minutes/day increase vs no change and increased daily steps (3059 steps per day increase vs 1527 steps per day increase. A similar pattern of results was seen in a subset of the least active participants at baseline. Older participants in intervention schools showed a significant slowing in the rate of increase in estimated percent body fat, BMI, and waist circumference. There were no differences between groups in fruit and vegetable intake. Extrinsic motivation decreased more in the intervention group. Conclusion The intervention produced positive

  4. Social marketing campaigns and children's media use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, W Douglas

    2008-01-01

    Media-related commercial marketing aimed at promoting the purchase of products and services by children, and by adults for children, is ubiquitous and has been associated with negative health consequences such as poor nutrition and physical inactivity. But, as Douglas Evans points out, not all marketing in the electronic media is confined to the sale of products. Increasingly savvy social marketers have begun to make extensive use of the same techniques and strategies used by commercial marketers to promote healthful behaviors and to counter some of the negative effects of conventional media marketing to children and adolescents. Evans points out that social marketing campaigns have been effective in helping to prevent and control tobacco use, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and promote condom use, as well as other positive health behaviors. He reviews the evidence from a number of major recent campaigns and programming in the United States and overseas and describes the evaluation and research methods used to determine their effectiveness. He begins his review of the field of social marketing by describing how it uses many of the strategies practiced so successfully in commercial marketing. He notes the recent development of public health brands and the use of branding as a health promotion strategy. He then goes on to show how social marketing can promote healthful behavior, how it can counter media messages about unhealthful behavior, and how it can encourage discussions between parents and children. Evans concludes by noting some potential future applications to promote healthful media use by children and adolescents and to mitigate the effects of exposure to commercial marketing. These include adapting lessons learned from previous successful campaigns, such as delivering branded messages that promote healthful alternative behaviors. Evans also outlines a message strategy to promote "smart media use" to parents, children, and adolescents and

  5. Positive Healthy Organizations: Promoting Well-Being, Meaningfulness, and Sustainability in Organizations

    OpenAIRE

    Annamaria Di Fabio

    2017-01-01

    This contribution deals with the concept of healthy organizations and starts with a definition of healthy organizations and healthy business. In healthy organizations, culture, climate, and practices create an environment conducive to employee health and safety as well as organizational effectiveness (Lowe, 2010). A healthy organization thus leads to a healthy and successful business (De Smet et al., 2007; Grawitch and Ballard, 2016), underlining the strong link between organizational profita...

  6. #LancerHealth: Using Twitter and Instagram as a tool in a campus wide health promotion initiative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Santarossa

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed to explore using popular technology that people already have/use as a health promotion tool, in a campus wide social media health promotion initiative, entitled #LancerHealth. During a two-week period the university community was asked to share photos on Twitter and Instagram of What does being healthy on campus look like to you?, while tagging the image with #LancerHealth. All publically tagged media was collected using the Netlytic software and analysed. Text analysis (N=234 records, Twitter; N=141 records, Instagram revealed that the majority of the conversation was positive and focused on health and the university. Social network analysis, based on five network properties, showed a small network with little interaction. Lastly, photo coding analysis (N=71 unique image indicated that the majority of the shared images were of physical activity (52% and on campus (80%. Further research into this area is warranted.

  7. Healthy eating for life: rationale and development of an English as a second language (ESL) curriculum for promoting healthy nutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez, Josefa L; Rivers, Susan E; Duncan, Lindsay R; Bertoli, Michelle; Domingo, Samantha; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E; Salovey, Peter

    2013-12-01

    Low health literacy contributes significantly to cancer health disparities disadvantaging minorities and the medically underserved. Immigrants to the United States constitute a particularly vulnerable subgroup of the medically underserved, and because many are non-native English speakers, they are pre-disposed to encounter language and literacy barriers across the cancer continuum. Healthy Eating for Life (HE4L) is an English as a second language (ESL) curriculum designed to teach English language and health literacy while promoting fruit and vegetable consumption for cancer prevention. This article describes the rationale, design, and content of HE4L. HE4L is a content-based adult ESL curriculum grounded in the health action process approach to behavior change. The curriculum package includes a soap opera-like storyline, an interactive student workbook, a teacher's manual, and audio files. HE4L is the first teacher-administered, multimedia nutrition-education curriculum designed to reduce cancer risk among beginning-level ESL students. HE4L is unique because it combines adult ESL principles, health education content, and behavioral theory. HE4L provides a case study of how evidence-based, health promotion practices can be implemented into real-life settings and serves as a timely, useful, and accessible nutrition-education resource for health educators.

  8. A Formative Evaluation of a Social Media Campaign to Reduce Adolescent Dating Violence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert, Danielle N; Bishop, Lauren E; Guetig, Stephanie

    2014-01-01

    Background The Emory Jane Fonda Center implemented the Start Strong Atlanta social marketing campaign, “Keep It Strong ATL”, in 2007 to promote the development of healthy adolescent relationships and to foster the prevention of adolescent dating abuse among 11-14 year olds. Objective A formative evaluation was conducted to understand whether messages directed at the target audience were relevant to the program’s relationship promotion and violence prevention goals, and whether the “Web 2.0” social media channels of communication (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr, and Pinterest) were reaching the intended audience. Methods Mixed methodologies included qualitative interviews and a key informant focus group, a cross-sectional survey, and web analytics. Qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative methodology informed by grounded theory. Descriptive statistics were generated from survey data, and web analytics provided user information and traffic patterns. Results Results indicated that the Keep It Strong ATL social marketing campaign was a valuable community resource that had potential for broader scope and greater reach. The evaluation team learned the importance of reaching adolescents through Web 2.0 platforms, and the need for message dissemination via peers. Survey results indicated that Facebook (ranked 6.5 out of 8) was the highest rated social media outlet overall, and exhibited greatest appeal and most frequent visits, yet analytics revealed that only 3.5% of “likes” were from the target audience. These results indicate that the social media campaign is reaching predominantly women (76.5% of viewership) who are outside of the target age range of 11-14 years. Conclusions While the social media campaign was successfully launched, the findings indicate the need for a more focused selection of communication channels, timing of media updates to maximize visibility, balancing message tone and delivery, and incorporating

  9. Declining role of governments in promoting healthy eating: time to rethink the role of the food industry?

    OpenAIRE

    Egberg Mikkelsen, Bent

    2005-01-01

    The increasing incidence of overweight and obesity calls for strategies to influence individuals’ lifestyle. There is increasing acceptance of the idea that such strategies should go further than to stress the responsibility of the individual and focus on wider socioeconomic and environmental factors. This is true also for the promotion of healthy eating, and as industry increases its awareness towards corporate social responsibility and societal issues, the actors of the private commercial f...

  10. Using a Smartphone Application to Promote Healthy Dietary Behaviours and Local Food Consumption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilliland, Jason; Sadler, Richard; Clark, Andrew; O'Connor, Colleen; Milczarek, Malgorzata; Doherty, Sean

    2015-01-01

    Smartphone “apps” are a powerful tool for public health promotion, but unidimensional interventions have been ineffective at sustaining behavioural change. Various logistical issues exist in successful app development for health intervention programs and for sustaining behavioural change. This study reports on a smartphone application and messaging service, called “SmartAPPetite,” which uses validated behaviour change techniques and a behavioural economic approach to “nudge” users into healthy dietary behaviours. To help gauge participation in and influence of the program, data were collected using an upfront food survey, message uptake tracking, experience sampling interviews, and a follow-up survey. Logistical and content-based issues in the deployment of the messaging service were subsequently addressed to strengthen the effectiveness of the app in changing dietary behaviours. Challenges included creating relevant food goal categories for participants, providing messaging appropriate to self-reported food literacy and ensuring continued participation in the program. SmartAPPetite was effective at creating a sense of improved awareness and consumption of healthy foods, as well as drawing people to local food vendors with greater frequency. This work serves as a storehouse of methods and best practices for multidimensional local food-based smartphone interventions aimed at improving the “triple bottom line” of health, economy, and environment. PMID:26380298

  11. Using a Smartphone Application to Promote Healthy Dietary Behaviours and Local Food Consumption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason Gilliland

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Smartphone “apps” are a powerful tool for public health promotion, but unidimensional interventions have been ineffective at sustaining behavioural change. Various logistical issues exist in successful app development for health intervention programs and for sustaining behavioural change. This study reports on a smartphone application and messaging service, called “SmartAPPetite,” which uses validated behaviour change techniques and a behavioural economic approach to “nudge” users into healthy dietary behaviours. To help gauge participation in and influence of the program, data were collected using an upfront food survey, message uptake tracking, experience sampling interviews, and a follow-up survey. Logistical and content-based issues in the deployment of the messaging service were subsequently addressed to strengthen the effectiveness of the app in changing dietary behaviours. Challenges included creating relevant food goal categories for participants, providing messaging appropriate to self-reported food literacy and ensuring continued participation in the program. SmartAPPetite was effective at creating a sense of improved awareness and consumption of healthy foods, as well as drawing people to local food vendors with greater frequency. This work serves as a storehouse of methods and best practices for multidimensional local food-based smartphone interventions aimed at improving the “triple bottom line” of health, economy, and environment.

  12. Using a Smartphone Application to Promote Healthy Dietary Behaviours and Local Food Consumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilliland, Jason; Sadler, Richard; Clark, Andrew; O'Connor, Colleen; Milczarek, Malgorzata; Doherty, Sean

    2015-01-01

    Smartphone "apps" are a powerful tool for public health promotion, but unidimensional interventions have been ineffective at sustaining behavioural change. Various logistical issues exist in successful app development for health intervention programs and for sustaining behavioural change. This study reports on a smartphone application and messaging service, called "SmartAPPetite," which uses validated behaviour change techniques and a behavioural economic approach to "nudge" users into healthy dietary behaviours. To help gauge participation in and influence of the program, data were collected using an upfront food survey, message uptake tracking, experience sampling interviews, and a follow-up survey. Logistical and content-based issues in the deployment of the messaging service were subsequently addressed to strengthen the effectiveness of the app in changing dietary behaviours. Challenges included creating relevant food goal categories for participants, providing messaging appropriate to self-reported food literacy and ensuring continued participation in the program. SmartAPPetite was effective at creating a sense of improved awareness and consumption of healthy foods, as well as drawing people to local food vendors with greater frequency. This work serves as a storehouse of methods and best practices for multidimensional local food-based smartphone interventions aimed at improving the "triple bottom line" of health, economy, and environment.

  13. Media advocacy: lessons from community experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jernigan, D H; Wright, P A

    1996-01-01

    Media advocacy is the strategic use of mass media and community organizing as a resource for advancing a social or public policy initiative. Across the United States, communities are using media advocacy to promote healthier public policies and environments. The U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention commissioned numerous case studies of media advocacy on alcohol and tobacco issues in a diverse array of communities, including efforts in African-American and Latino communities or using computer-based electronic communication systems. The paper describes these efforts briefly, and summarizes lessons learned, including: media advocacy can lead to larger victories when used as a complement to community organizing in the context of a larger strategic vision for policy change; like policy advocacy, media advocacy is best done in the context of clear long-term goals; conscious framing, guiding the choice of spokespeople, visuals, and messages, can alter media coverage and public debate of health policies; advocates need to respect the media but also remember that they have power in relation to the media; and media advocacy is often controversial and not suited to every situation. The case studies show that media advocacy is a potent tool for public health workers, making an important contribution to campaigns to promote healthier public policies.

  14. Promoting Healthy Behaviours among Children Living in Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods : development and evaluation of a Social Marketing intervention: the ‘Water Campaign’

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    V.M.J. Kruitwagen - van de Gaar (Vivian)

    2017-01-01

    markdownabstractThis thesis focused on the development and evaluation of an intervention aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle among children. This intervention – the ‘Water Campaign’- was developed with Social Marketing, aimed to decrease the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) among

  15. A Community-based Healthy Living Promotion Program Improved Self-esteem Among Minority Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, William W; Ortiz, Christina L; Stuff, Janice E; Mikhail, Carmen; Lathan, Debra; Moore, Louis A; Alejandro, Mercedes E; Butte, Nancy F; Smith, Elliot O'Brian

    2016-07-01

    Improving self-esteem, dietary habits, and physical activity is essential for long-term success in childhood obesity prevention. The aim is to evaluate the effects of a healthy living promotion program, Healthy Kids-Houston, on BMI, dietary habits, self-esteem, and physical activity among minority children. The after-school program was implemented at community centers in low-income neighborhoods with close proximity to public schools. The program consisted of 3 6-week sessions. Each week, children attended 2 2-hour sessions. Each 2-hour session in the intervention included 90 minutes of structured physical activities and 30 minutes of nutrition and healthy habit lessons. The control group received typical enrichment programs. Outcomes were measured before the intervention and at the end of each 6-week session. We enrolled 877 children (age 10.2 ± 0.1 years (mean ± SE); body mass index z score: 1.49 ± 0.1; 52.0% boys; 72.6% Hispanic) in the program with 524 children received the intervention at 14 community centers and 353 children served as control at 10 community centers. The intervention led to no improvements in BMI z score (P = 0.78) and dietary habits (P = 0.46). Significant improvements (P ≤ 0.02) were detected in the amount of exercise that a child perceived to be required to offset a large meal and in several key self-esteem scores. No improvements were detected in physical activities (P ≥ 0.21). The improvement in some key self-esteem scores and nutrition knowledge may act as a mediator to motivate these children to adopt a healthier lifestyle in the future.

  16. Perceived effective and feasible strategies to promote healthy eating in young children: focus groups with parents, family child care providers and daycare assistants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandeweghe, Laura; Moens, Ellen; Braet, Caroline; Van Lippevelde, Wendy; Vervoort, Leentje; Verbeken, Sandra

    2016-10-04

    The aim of the current study is to identify strategies to promote healthy eating in young children that can be applied by caregivers, based on their own perceptions of effectiveness and feasibility. Whereas previous research mainly focused on parental influences on children's eating behavior, the growing role of other caregivers in the upbringing of children can no longer be denied. Four focus groups were conducted with three types of caregivers of post-weaning children under 6 years old: parents (n = 14), family child care providers (n = 9), and daycare assistants (n = 10). The audiotaped focus group discussions were transcribed and imported into Nvivo 10.0 for thematic analysis. The behaviors put forward by the caregivers were categorized within three broad dimensions: global influences, general behaviors, and specific feeding practices. Perceived effective strategies to promote healthy eating behavior in children included rewards, verbal encouragement, a taste-rule, sensory sensations, involvement, variation, modeling, repeated exposure, and a peaceful atmosphere. Participants mainly disagreed on the perceived feasibility of each strategy, which largely depended on the characteristics of the caregiving setting (e.g. infrastructure, policy). Based on former research and the current results, an intervention to promote healthy eating behaviors in young children should be adapted to the caregiving setting or focus on specific feeding practices, since these involve simple behaviors that are not hindered by the limitations of the caregiving setting. Due to various misconceptions regarding health-promoting strategies, clear instructions about when and how to use these strategies are necessary.

  17. Perceived effective and feasible strategies to promote healthy eating in young children: focus groups with parents, family child care providers and daycare assistants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Vandeweghe

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of the current study is to identify strategies to promote healthy eating in young children that can be applied by caregivers, based on their own perceptions of effectiveness and feasibility. Whereas previous research mainly focused on parental influences on children’s eating behavior, the growing role of other caregivers in the upbringing of children can no longer be denied. Methods Four focus groups were conducted with three types of caregivers of post-weaning children under 6 years old: parents (n = 14, family child care providers (n = 9, and daycare assistants (n = 10. The audiotaped focus group discussions were transcribed and imported into Nvivo 10.0 for thematic analysis. The behaviors put forward by the caregivers were categorized within three broad dimensions: global influences, general behaviors, and specific feeding practices. Results Perceived effective strategies to promote healthy eating behavior in children included rewards, verbal encouragement, a taste-rule, sensory sensations, involvement, variation, modeling, repeated exposure, and a peaceful atmosphere. Participants mainly disagreed on the perceived feasibility of each strategy, which largely depended on the characteristics of the caregiving setting (e.g. infrastructure, policy. Conclusions Based on former research and the current results, an intervention to promote healthy eating behaviors in young children should be adapted to the caregiving setting or focus on specific feeding practices, since these involve simple behaviors that are not hindered by the limitations of the caregiving setting. Due to various misconceptions regarding health-promoting strategies, clear instructions about when and how to use these strategies are necessary.

  18. Utilization of Technology as Promotion Media of Cultural Tourism in Central Java

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    veinta sonrizky mayo

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Tourism is one industry that is growing rapidly. Lots of models are offered and one of them is cultural tourism. One example of cultural tourism is a temple and a museum. In addition to the introduction through the temples and museums, the government's approach to conduct activities such as Dieng Culture Festival. Within these activities, the public can know more about the traditional ceremonial and moral values of Dieng. However, interest in the festival began to decrease each year. That's because the lack of a media campaign that resulted in people becoming not know and less concerned about the cultural tourism. If it continues, the cultural attractions such as museums will sink and disappear eroded by age. In this study, will discuss ways of promoting cultural tourism through the use of technology so that cultural tourism can be known internationally

  19. Cross-tools and cross-media effects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voorveld, H.

    2013-01-01

    Effects of persuasive messages depend on the content of the message itself and on the media or tools that deliver the persuasive messages. Nowadays almost all campaigns make use of multiple media or multiple promotional tools. Therefore, it is important to study so-called cross-media (or

  20. The Effect of Branding to Promote Healthy Behavior: Reducing Tobacco Use among Youth and Young Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallone, Donna; Greenberg, Marisa; Xiao, Haijun; Bennett, Morgane; Cantrell, Jennifer; Rath, Jessica; Hair, Elizabeth

    2017-12-07

    Policy interventions such as public health mass media campaigns disseminate messages in order to improve health-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors at the population level. Only more recently have campaigns that promote health-related behaviors adopted branding, a well-established marketing strategy, to influence how consumers think and feel about a message. This study examines whether positive brand equity for the national truth ® campaign is associated with lower likelihood of cigarette use over time using the nationally representative Truth Longitudinal Cohort of youth and young adults, aged 15-21. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between brand equity and the likelihood of reporting past 30-day smoking over a 12-month period. Respondents who reported positive brand equity were significantly less likely to report past 30-day smoking 12 months later (OR = 0.66, p brand equity is a strategic process for health promotion campaigns, not only to improve message recall and salience but also to influence behavioral outcomes.

  1. Habitação saudável e ambientes favoráveis à saúde como estratégia de promoção da saúde Healthy housing and healthy environments as a strategy for health promotion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Cynamon Cohen

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Neste artigo, discute-se a Habitação Saudável enquanto campo potencial de conhecimento e de práticas a serem aplicadas na estratégia de Promoção da Saúde, como instrumento de abordagem ampliada de discussão dos problemas relativos à saúde e à qualidade de vida. Apresenta-se o desenvolvimento e a consolidação da Promoção da Saúde, centrando a discussão em dois campos de ação: políticas públicas saudáveis e criação de ambientes favoráveis à saúde. Como caminho de reflexão e aproximação dos campos da Promoção da Saúde e da Habitação Saudável, são utilizados os conceitos de habitabilidade e de ambiência.In this article, Healthy Housing is discussed as a potential field of knowledge and practices to be applied in the Health Promotion strategy and as an instrument in a larger discussion of problems in health and living standards. The development and consolidation of Health Promotion is presented focusing the discussion on two fields of action: healthy public policies and the establishment of healthy environments. The concepts of habitability and ambience are presented as a path conducive to reflection and the development of closer ties between Health Promotion and Healthy Housing.

  2. Promoting Books and Media: A Native American Indian Web.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brodie, Carolyn S.

    1991-01-01

    Discusses children's literature on Native American Indians and suggests ideas for using the literature in the school library media center or classroom by the library media specialist or by the classroom teacher. Activities and appropriate materials are suggested for the topics of housing, poetry, food, biography, crafts and music, and traditional…

  3. Healthy lifestyle as contemporary dominant of state youth policy in Ukraine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. I. Khozhylo

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Article deals with actual issue of healthy lifestyle promotion as component of native state youth policy. The review of main legislative and regulatory legal acts on healthy lifestyle promotion of Ukraine is conducted. The main focus is on analysis of perspective regulatory legal acts that regulate activities on healthy lifestyle promotion and realization at the context of execution of international liabilities of Ukraine. Structure of program provision of international liabilities execution on healthy lifestyle promotion and realization in youth environment by Ukrainian state at the context of legal, organizational, financial and social mechanisms of public administration is thoroughly analyzed.

  4. An educational strategy that promotes healthy habits in elderly people with hypertension in a municipality of Colombia: a participatory action research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Mateus, María Carolina; Hernández-Rincón, Erwin Hernando; Correal-Muñoz, Camilo Alejandro; Cadena-Buitrago, Gina Paola; Galvis-Díaz, Ingrid Johanna; Romero-Prieto, Génesis Esmeralda

    2017-10-30

    To identify resources of the municipality of Sopó-Cundinamarca, Colombia, that are also opportunities to strengthen the development of an educational strategy that promotes healthy habits (healthy diet and exercise) as part of the comprehensive management of hypertension in the elderly. A qualitative study of a participatory-action research initiative in the Community Day Center of Sopó in the second semester of 2015. It was developed in three stages: first, a community diagnosis showed the need to integrate the culture, traditions and resources of the municipality as inputs that allow the adherence of healthy styles by the elderly for the control of hypertension; in the second stage, a work plan was established based on actions provided by the community; and in the third stage, we reflected on the results. An effective and sustainable intervention for the elderly can be achieved through the following activities: appropriation of the agricultural resources, the strengthening of dance as a form of exercise, use of motivational strategies, support of institutions that work with the welfare of the elderly, and the empowerment of facilitators. Interventions aimed at supporting the adherence of healthy lifestyles to the elderly should include and preserve the context of the community of which they are part, where community resources are the inputs that allow health promotion.

  5. Does neighbourhood walkability moderate the effects of mass media communication strategies to promote regular physical activity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, R; Giles-Corti, B; Bauman, A; Rosenberg, M; Bull, F C; Leavy, J E

    2013-02-01

    Mass media campaigns are widely used in Australia and elsewhere to promote physical activity among adults. Neighbourhood walkability is consistently shown to be associated with walking and total activity. Campaigns may have different effects on individuals living in high and low walkable neighbourhoods. The purpose of this study is to compare pre- and post-campaign cognitive and behavioural impacts of the Heart Foundation's Find Thirty every day® campaign, in respondents living in high and lower walkable neighbourhoods. Pre- and post-campaign cross-sectional survey data were linked with objectively measured neighbourhood walkability. Cognitive and behavioural impacts were assessed using logistic regression stratified by walkability. Cognitive impacts were significantly higher post-campaign and consistently higher in respondents in high compared with lower walkable neighbourhoods. Post campaign sufficient activity was significantly higher and transport walking significantly lower, but only in residents of lower walkable areas. Cognitive impacts of mass media physical activity campaigns may be enhanced by living in a more walkable neighbourhood.

  6. The influence of advertising media on brand awareness

    OpenAIRE

    Domazet, Ivana; Đokić, Ines; Milovanov, Olja

    2018-01-01

    In modern business conditions, the company sends its messages through various instruments of promotion, and therefore the different media. One of the instruments of promotion economic propaganda (advertising), which uses a number of media such as television, radio, newspapers, billboards, Internet and others.. By using various media, the company affects the consumer awareness of the brand, spreads information about themselves and the brand, educates consumers, creates a brand image and the li...

  7. Kids on the Move: Afterschool Programs Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. America After 3PM Special Report. Executive Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afterschool Alliance, 2015

    2015-01-01

    Afterschool programs continue to make advances when it comes to providing students with nutritious foods, keeping them physically fit and promoting health. Such programs have great potential to help prevent obesity and instill lifelong healthy habits, serving more than 10 million children and youth across America, with more than 19 million more…

  8. In Defense of the Iraqi Media: Between Fueling Conflict and Healthy Pluralism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anja Wollenberg

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Despite the occupation and ensuing war, Iraq has experienced the emergence of a truly pluralistic media landscape after the fall of the Baath regime in 2003. Today, media coverage of domestic affairs is characterized not only by pluralism but also by bias and partiality reflecting strong ties between political actors and media outlets. Accordingly, the Iraqi media are often accused of fueling conflict and deepening the ethno-sectarian divide in society. Based on a qualitative frame analysis of Iraqi news bulletins, this study reveals that Iraqi media outlets provide indeed contesting frames on even the most divisive issues. Only the coverage of the armed war against IS is characterized by a non-pluralistic conformity among Iraqi channels that unequivocally focus on military successes against IS and jointly refrain from any criticism against the varied forces fighting IS in Iraq.

  9. Educational Potential of New Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Yu. Kazak

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Digitalization of the mass media, which has radically changed the information environment, creates new opportunities for self-education and upgrowth of the audience. The paper defines the communicative and cultural status of new media, characterizes the socio-cultural and technological aspects of their dynamics; substantiates the necessity of elaborating mechanisms for systematization of heterogeneous information flows and elaborating criteria for their evaluation in the era of globalization of the media sphere, what implies a qualitatively different level of media competence of the audience, provided with such factors as media education, media coverage, media criticism. The definition of concepts "media competence", "media enlightenment", "media education", "media criticism" is given and their functional areas are delineated. Social networks are considered as an important tool for media enlightenment which provides significant opportunities for promoting cultural achievements in the new media environment.

  10. Making the Blue Zones: Neoliberalism and nudges in public health promotion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Eric D

    2015-05-01

    This paper evaluates the ideological and political origins of a place-based and commercial health promotion effort, the Blue Zones Project (BZP), launched in Iowa in 2011. Through critical discourse analysis, I argue that the BZP does reflect a neoliberalization of public health, but as an "actually existing neoliberalism" it emerges from a specific policy context, including dramatic health sector policy changes due to the national Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare; a media discourse of health crisis for an aging Midwestern population; and an effort to refashion Iowa cities as sites of healthy and active living, to retain and attract a creative class of young entrepreneurs. The BZP employs many well-known mechanisms of neoliberal governance: the public-private partnership; competition among communities for "public" funds; promotion of an apolitical discourse on individual responsibility and ownership of health; decentralizing governance to the "community" level; and marketing, branding, and corporate sponsorship of public projects. The BZP exemplifies the process of "neoliberal governmentality," by which individuals learn to govern themselves and their "life projects" in line with a market-based rationality. However, with its emphasis on "nudging" individuals towards healthy behaviors through small changes in the local environment, the BZP reflects the rise of "libertarian paternalism," a variant of neoliberalism, as a dominant ideology underlying contemporary health promotion efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. [Perceived quality of life in the "healthy people" municipal community health promotion program in Ciudad Lineal-Madrid].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteban-Peña, M; Gerechter-Fernández, S; Martínez-Simancas, A M; Zancada-González, J; Hernandez-Barrera, V; Jiménez-García, R

    The measurement of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a comprehensive way to estimate the health of both the individual and the community. The aim of this study was to assess changes in health and HRQoL using the intervention strategies «healthy people» and «health promotion programs» of the City Council of Madrid-Madrid Health. The study was conducted in the Municipal Health Centre of Ciudad Lineal, in 2014, and included promotion of exercise, healthy eating, smoking cessation, psycho-hygiene, memory training, and health education for the elderly, with group interventions. A before and after community trial, with the administration of questionnaire with COOP/WONCA HRQoL charts to 200 participants. The study population (n=87), included those who completed the first and second questionnaire. Positive changes were seen in the overall before and after COOP/WONCA scores, with a mean change from 23.16 to 21.94, with statistical significance, p≤0.002. In the psychology groups, it changed from 28.14 to 23.57 with a p≤0.05, and healthy eating from 22.81 to 20.85, with p≤0.03. In the health education groups it changed from 21 to 20.81 points, and in memory training from 23.31 to 22.45 points (both without significance). The significant improvement in scores reflects a positive change in self-perceived health of this community after the intervention and proper operation of programs. The areas directly related to health and interventions in psychology and nutrition-exercise, are those with the most significant changes. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  12. A national quitline service and its promotion in the mass media: modelling the health gain, health equity and cost-utility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nghiem, Nhung; Cleghorn, Christine L; Leung, William; Nair, Nisha; Deen, Frederieke S van der; Blakely, Tony; Wilson, Nick

    2017-07-24

    Mass media campaigns and quitlines are both important distinct components of tobacco control programmes around the world. But when used as an integrated package, the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness are not well described. We therefore aimed to estimate the health gain, health equity impacts and cost-utility of the package of a national quitline service and its promotion in the mass media. We adapted an established Markov and multistate life-table macro-simulation model. The population was all New Zealand adults in 2011. Effect sizes and intervention costs were based on past New Zealand quitline data. Health system costs were from a national data set linking individual health events to costs. The 1-year operation of the existing intervention package of mass media promotion and quitline service was found to be net cost saving to the health sector for all age groups, sexes and ethnic groups (saving $NZ84 million; 95%uncertainty interval 60-115 million in the base-case model). It also produced greater per capita health gains for Māori (indigenous) than non-Māori (2.2 vs 0.73 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) per 1000 population, respectively). The net cost saving of the intervention was maintained in all sensitivity and scenario analyses for example at a discount rate of 6% and when the intervention effect size was quartered (given the possibility of residual confounding in our estimates of smoking cessation). Running the intervention for 20 years would generate an estimated 54 000 QALYs and $NZ1.10 billion (US$0.74 billion) in cost savings. The package of a quitline service and its promotion in the mass media appears to be an effective means to generate health gain, address health inequalities and save health system costs. Nevertheless, the role of this intervention needs to be compared with other tobacco control and health sector interventions, some of which may be even more cost saving. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise

  13. [Healthy Cities projects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takano, Takehito

    2002-05-01

    This is a review article on "Healthy Cities". The Healthy Cities programme has been developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to tackle urban health and environmental issues in a broad way. It is a kind of comprehensive policy package to carry out individual projects and activities effectively and efficiently. Its key aspects include healthy public policy, vision sharing, high political commitment, establishment of structural organization, strategic health planning, intersectoral collaboration, community participation, setting approach, development of supportive environment for health, formation of city health profile, national and international networking, participatory research, periodic monitoring and evaluation, and mechanisms for sustainability of projects. The present paper covered the Healthy Cities concept and approaches, rapid urbanization in the world, developments of WHO Healthy Cities, Healthy Cities developments in the Western Pacific Region, the health promotion viewpoint, and roles of research.

  14. An internet-based self-administered intervention for promoting healthy habits and weight loss in hypertensive people who are overweight or obese: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banos, Rosa M; Mensorio, Marinna S; Cebolla, Ausias; Rodilla, Enrique; Palomar, Gonzalo; Lisón, JuanFrancisco; Botella, Cristina

    2015-08-04

    The prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise worldwide with severe physical and psychosocial consequences. One of the most dangerous is hypertension. Lifestyle changes related to eating behaviour and physical activity are the critical components in the prevention and treatment of hypertension and obesity. Data indicates that the usual procedures to promote these healthy habits in health services are either insufficient or not efficient enough. Internet has been shown to be an effective tool for the implementation of lifestyle interventions based on this type of problem. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a totally self-administered online intervention programme versus the usual medical care for obese and overweight participants with hypertension (from the Spanish public health care system) to promote healthy lifestyles (eating behaviour and physical activity). A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 100 patients recruited from the hypertension unit of a public hospital. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a) SII: a self-administered Internet-based intervention protocol; and b) MUC-medical usual care. The online intervention is an Internet-delivered, multimedia, interactive, self-administered programme, composed of nine modules designed to promote healthy eating habits and increase physical activity. The first five modules will be activated at a rate of one per week, and access for modules 5 to 9 will open every two weeks. Patients will be assessed at four points: before the intervention, after the intervention (3 months), and at 6 and 12 months (follow-up). The outcome variables will include blood pressure, and Body Mass Index, as primary outcome measures, and quality of life and other lifestyle and anthropometrical variables as secondary outcome measures. The literature highlights the need for more studies on the benefits of using the Internet to promote lifestyle interventions. This study aims to

  15. Positive Healthy Organizations: Promoting Well-Being, Meaningfulness, and Sustainability in Organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Fabio, Annamaria

    2017-01-01

    This contribution deals with the concept of healthy organizations and starts with a definition of healthy organizations and healthy business. In healthy organizations, culture, climate, and practices create an environment conducive to employee health and safety as well as organizational effectiveness (Lowe, 2010). A healthy organization thus leads to a healthy and successful business (De Smet et al., 2007; Grawitch and Ballard, 2016), underlining the strong link between organizational profitability and workers' well-being. Starting from a positive perspective focused on success and excellence, the contribution describes how positive organizational health psychology evolved from occupational health psychology to positive occupational health psychology stressing the importance of a primary preventive approach. The focus is not on deficiency and failure but on a positive organizational attitude that proposes interventions at different levels: individual, group, organization, and inter-organization. Healthy organizations need to find the right balance between their particular situation, sector, and culture, highlighting the importance of well-being and sustainability. This contribution discusses also the sustainability of work-life projects and the meaning of work in healthy organizations, stressing the importance of recognizing, respecting, and using the meaning of work as a key for growth and success. Finally, the contribution discusses new research and intervention opportunities for healthy organizations.

  16. Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Antoniou

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest

  17. Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M.

    2017-01-01

    One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains. PMID:29326636

  18. Social media in adolescent health literacy education: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tse, Carrie Kw; Bridges, Susan M; Srinivasan, Divya Parthasarathy; Cheng, Brenda Ss

    2015-03-09

    While health literacy has gained notice on a global stage, the initial focus on seeking associations with medical conditions may have overlooked its impact across generations. Adolescent health literacy, specifically in dentistry, is an underexplored area despite the significance of this formative stage on an individual's approach to healthy lifestyles and behaviors. The aim is to conduct a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of three major social media outlets - Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube - in supporting adolescents' oral health literacy (OHL) education. A random sample of 22 adolescents (aged 14-16 years) from an English-medium international school in Hong Kong provided informed consent. Sociodemographic information, including English language background, social media usage, and dental experience were collected via a questionnaire. A pre- and post-test of OHL (REALD-30) was administered by two trained, calibrated examiners. Following pre-test, participants were randomly assigned to one of three social media outlets: Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube. Participants received alerts posted daily for 5 consecutive days requiring online accessing of modified and original OHL education materials. One-way ANOVA ( analysis of variance) was used to compare the mean difference between the pre- and the post-test results among the three social media. No associations were found between the social media allocated and participants' sociodemographics, including English language background, social media usage, and dental experience. Of the three social media, significant differences in literacy assessment scores were evident for participants who received oral health education messages via Facebook (P=.02) and YouTube (P=.005). Based on the results of the pilot study, Facebook and YouTube may be more efficient media outlets for OHL promotion and education among adolescent school children when compared to Twitter. Further analyses with a larger study group is warranted.

  19. Growing Healthy Kids: A School Enrichment Nutrition Education Program to Promote Healthy Behaviors for Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vierregger, Alyssa; Hall, Johnna; Sehi, Natalie; Abbott, Mary; Wobig, Karen; Albrecht, Julie A.; Anderson-Knott, Mindy; Koszewski, Wanda

    2015-01-01

    The Growing Healthy Kids Program is a school-based nutrition education program that teaches students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade about healthy eating, physical activity, and how their body uses food. Pre- and post-knowledge data is collected from the students to measure changes in nutrition knowledge. In the first 2 years of the program,…

  20. The Development of Media Activities by Undergraduate Students in Order to Promote Agricultural Tourism Community Enterprise According to the Principles of Social Service Learning and Community-Based Leaning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thamwipat, Kuntida; Princhankol, Pornpapatsorn; Yampinij, Sakesun; Meejaleurn, Sopon

    2018-01-01

    This research was aimed to develop media activities by undergraduate students to promote agricultural tourism community enterprise according to the principles of social service learning and community-based learning, 2) to evaluate the quality of such media activities, 3) to measure the income of the community after the development of media…

  1. Effect of actions promoting healthy eating on students' lipid profile: A controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita De Cássia Ribeiro-Silva

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of nutrition intervention actions on the lipid profile of children and adolescents enrolled in public elementary schools. METHODS: This nine-month, controlled, intervention study included 202 students aged 7 to 14 years attending two schools (intervention/control located in a poor neighborhood of the municipality of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Actions were implemented in the intervention school to promote healthy eating habits, presented as "Ten steps to healthy eating". The effect of these actions was assessed by subjecting the students at baseline and end of the follow-up to biochemical, maturation, and anthropometric measurements and a produce intake survey. The dependent variables were the changes in the study biochemical parameters: total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Analysis of covariance assessed the changes that occurred over the study period. RESULTS: The mean total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides of the intervention students decreased 13.18 mg/dL (p=0.001, 7.41 mg/dL (p=0.038, and 12.37 mg/dL (p=0.029, respectively, compared with the control students. CONCLUSION: Actions of this nature have a positive impact on lipid profile. This study adds to those that use effective and viable public health strategies implementable at the primary care level.

  2. Social Media Correlates of Organizational Climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Daniel Crane

    2009-01-01

    This research (1) gathered data from a sample of employees on their social media practices and the social media policies of their employers and (2) investigated how blogging and other social media added to a model of organizational climate that promotes (a) knowledge sharing and cooperation, and (b) trust in peers and management. The research…

  3. Empowering Teachers and Children for a Healthy Digital Life Report on activities carried out at the European School of Varese, Italy

    OpenAIRE

    CHAUDRON STEPHANE; DI GIOIA Rosanna; GHEZZI Alessia; MARTINHO GUIMARAES PIRES PEREIRA Angela

    2014-01-01

    This document reports on a training action with teachers that targeted mostly the role of teachers in the promotion of a balanced and healthy online life and the prevention of cyber-bullying at primary school level. Our aim in this experience in training the primary teacher of the European School of Varese is to open a path to empower teachers in guiding our children to become smart, responsible, and respectful also when using media and help them to understand the ethical consequences behi...

  4. Identifying Innovative Interventions to Promote Healthy Eating Using Consumption-Oriented Food Supply Chain Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkes, Corinna

    2009-01-01

    The mapping and analysis of supply chains is a technique increasingly used to address problems in the food system. Yet such supply chain management has not yet been applied as a means of encouraging healthier diets. Moreover, most policies recommended to promote healthy eating focus on the consumer end of the chain. This article proposes a consumption-oriented food supply chain analysis to identify the changes needed in the food supply chain to create a healthier food environment, measured in terms of food availability, prices, and marketing. Along with established forms of supply chain analysis, the method is informed by a historical overview of how food supply chains have changed over time. The method posits that the actors and actions in the chain are affected by organizational, financial, technological, and policy incentives and disincentives, which can in turn be levered for change. It presents a preliminary example of the supply of Coca-Cola beverages into school vending machines and identifies further potential applications. These include fruit and vegetable supply chains, local food chains, supply chains for health-promoting versions of food products, and identifying financial incentives in supply chains for healthier eating. PMID:23144674

  5. Identifying Innovative Interventions to Promote Healthy Eating Using Consumption-Oriented Food Supply Chain Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkes, Corinna

    2009-07-01

    The mapping and analysis of supply chains is a technique increasingly used to address problems in the food system. Yet such supply chain management has not yet been applied as a means of encouraging healthier diets. Moreover, most policies recommended to promote healthy eating focus on the consumer end of the chain. This article proposes a consumption-oriented food supply chain analysis to identify the changes needed in the food supply chain to create a healthier food environment, measured in terms of food availability, prices, and marketing. Along with established forms of supply chain analysis, the method is informed by a historical overview of how food supply chains have changed over time. The method posits that the actors and actions in the chain are affected by organizational, financial, technological, and policy incentives and disincentives, which can in turn be levered for change. It presents a preliminary example of the supply of Coca-Cola beverages into school vending machines and identifies further potential applications. These include fruit and vegetable supply chains, local food chains, supply chains for health-promoting versions of food products, and identifying financial incentives in supply chains for healthier eating.

  6. Views of policy makers and health promotion professionals on factors facilitating implementation and maintenance of interventions and policies promoting physical activity and healthy eating: results of the DEDIPAC project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muellmann, Saskia; Steenbock, Berit; De Cocker, Katrien; De Craemer, Marieke; Hayes, Catherine; O'Shea, Miriam P; Horodyska, Karolina; Bell, Justyna; Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Roos, Gun; Langøien, Lars Jørun; Rugseth, Gro; Terragni, Laura; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Brug, Johannes; Pischke, Claudia R

    2017-12-06

    The uptake, implementation, and maintenance of effective interventions promoting physical activity (PA) and a healthy diet and the implementation of policies targeting these behaviors are processes not well understood. We aimed to gain a better understanding of what health promotion professionals and policy makers think are important factors facilitating adoption, implementation, and maintenance of multi-level interventions and policies promoting healthy eating and PA in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Norway, and Poland. Six interventions and six policies were identified based on pre-defined criteria. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders from various sectors to elicit information on factors impacting adoption, implementation, and maintenance of these interventions and policies. All interview transcripts were coded in NVivo, using a common categorization matrix. Coding in the respective countries was done by one researcher and validated by a second researcher. Active involvement of relevant stakeholders and good communication between coordinating organizations were described as important factors contributing to successful adoption and implementation of both interventions and policies. Additional facilitating factors included sufficient training of staff and tailoring of materials to match needs of various target groups. The respondents indicated that maintenance of implemented interventions/policies depended on whether they were embedded in existing or newly created organizational structures in different settings and whether continued funding was secured. Despite considerable heterogeneity of interventions and health policies in the five countries, stakeholders across these countries identify similar factors facilitating adoption, implementation, and maintenance of these interventions and policies.

  7. Effectiveness of school-based interventions in Europe to promote healthy nutrition in children and adolescents: systematic review of published and 'grey' literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Cauwenberghe, Eveline; Maes, Lea; Spittaels, Heleen; van Lenthe, Frank J; Brug, Johannes; Oppert, Jean-Michel; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

    2010-03-01

    The objective of the present review was to summarise the existing European published and 'grey' literature on the effectiveness of school-based interventions to promote a healthy diet in children (6-12 years old) and adolescents (13-18 years old). Eight electronic databases, websites and contents of key journals were systematically searched, reference lists were screened, and authors and experts in the field were contacted for studies evaluating school-based interventions promoting a healthy diet and aiming at primary prevention of obesity. The studies were included if they were published between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 2007 and reported effects on dietary behaviour or on anthropometrics. Finally, forty-two studies met the inclusion criteria: twenty-nine in children and thirteen in adolescents. In children, strong evidence of effect was found for multicomponent interventions on fruit and vegetable intakes. Limited evidence of effect was found for educational interventions on behaviour, and for environmental interventions on fruit and vegetable intakes. Interventions that specifically targeted children from lower socio-economic status groups showed limited evidence of effect on behaviour. In adolescents, moderate evidence of effect was found for educational interventions on behaviour and limited evidence of effect for multicomponent programmes on behaviour. In children and adolescents, effects on anthropometrics were often not measured, and therefore evidence was lacking or delivered inconclusive evidence. To conclude, evidence was found for the effectiveness of especially multicomponent interventions promoting a healthy diet in school-aged children in European Union countries on self-reported dietary behaviour. Evidence for effectiveness on anthropometrical obesity-related measures is lacking.

  8. [Use of the Smartphone to Promote Healthy Habits among Teen-agers, Spain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrion, Carme; Arroyo Moliner, Liliana; Castell, Conxa; Puigdomènech, Elisa; Felipe Gómez, Santiago; Domingo, Laia; Espallargues, Mireia

    2016-11-03

    The PEGASO Project aims to design a technological system aimed at European adolescents to promote healthy lifestyles. The objective was to explore teenagers and their parents and teachers perceptions with regards to mobile technology use in promoting a healthier lifestyle, in terms of food and physical activity. Qualitative study based on primary data obtained through four focus groups analysis (three teenager groups between 13 and 15 y and 1 parent/teacher group). Verbatim transcriptions have been analysed following content analysis perspective. Four different categories were identified: 1: social and cultural context, 2: adolescents and health, 3: role of technology in teenagers' lives and 4: use of technology to acquire healthier habits. Each category helped to arise various subcategories linked to the relation between teens and health: holistic health concept, health/disease perception directly related with feeling physically fit and social acceptance. With regards to technology, the arisen themes were: feeling connected with others, importance of entertainment/games, omnipresent use of Smartphones and risk of excessive dependence on technology. The difference between teens and adults with regards to health and technology categories were not significant. Both teens and adults think that for technology to be effective in acquiring healthier habits it has to help teens to improve and maintain their self-esteem, in an entertaining way and using their own communication codes, mainly audio-visual ones, always under the umbrella of a holistic and integrated perception of health.

  9. Study protocol for a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention to promote healthy diets in toddlers: a cluster randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helland, Sissel H; Bere, Elling; Øverby, Nina Cecilie

    2016-03-17

    There is concern about the lack of diversity in children's diets, particularly low intakes of fruit and vegetables and high intakes of unhealthy processed food. This may be a factor in the rising prevalence of obesity. A reason for the lack of diversity in children's diets may be food neophobia. This study aimed to promote a healthy and varied diet among toddlers in kindergarten. The primary objectives were to reduce food neophobia in toddlers, and promote healthy feeding practices among kindergarten staff and parents. Secondary objectives were to increase food variety in toddlers' diets and reduce future overweight and obesity in these children. This is an ongoing, cluster randomized trial. The intervention finished in 2014, but follow-up data collection is not yet complete. Eighteen randomly selected kindergartens located in two counties in Norway with enrolled children born in 2012 participated in the intervention. The kindergartens were matched into pairs based on background information, and randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. A 9-week multi-component intervention was implemented, with four main elements: 1) kindergarten staff implemented a pedagogical tool (Sapere method) in daily sessions to promote willingness to try new food; 2) kindergarten staff prepared and served the toddlers a cooked lunch from a menu corresponding to the pedagogical sessions; 3) kindergarten staff were encouraged to follow 10 meal principles on modeling, responsive feeding, repeated exposure, and enjoyable meals; and 4) parents were encouraged to read information and apply relevant feeding practices at home. The control group continued their usual practices. Preference taste tests were conducted to evaluate behavioral food neophobia, and children's height and weight were measured. Parents and staff completed questionnaires before and after the intervention. Data have not yet been analyzed. This study provides new knowledge about whether or not a Sapere

  10. African American and Latino low income families' food shopping behaviors: promoting fruit and vegetable consumption and use of alternative healthy food options.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fish, Caitlin A; Brown, Jonisha R; Quandt, Sara A

    2015-04-01

    Minority families often reside in neighborhoods with few supermarkets or alternative healthy food options (e.g., farmers markets, community gardens), making fresh produce difficult to obtain. This qualitative study identified factors influencing fruit and vegetable shopping and use of alternative healthy food options. Forty-eight minority women with children completed interviews regarding food shopping habits and use of and attitudes toward alternative healthy food options. Interviews were subjected to thematic analysis. Produce shopping was motivated by costs and family preferences. For African American women, poor cooking skills restricted the variety of fruits and vegetables purchased. Latinas were receptive to alternative healthy food options, but did not use them because these sources were inconvenient. African American women were not receptive to them. Improving cooking skills and perceptions of acceptable foods may be as important as increased access to promote greater consumption of fruits and vegetables.

  11. Social Media - An Important Part of the Promotional Mix

    OpenAIRE

    Ciprian Pavel

    2013-01-01

    The 21st century is witnessing an explosion of Internet-based messages transmitted through these media. They have become a major factor in influencing various aspects of consumer behavior including awareness, opinions, information acquisition, attitudes, purchase behavior, and post-purchase communication and evaluation. The emergence of Internet-based social media has made it possible for one person to communicate with hundreds or even thousands of other people about products and the companie...

  12. A randomized controlled trial for families with preschool children - promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobko, Tanja; Tse, Michael; Kaplan, Matthew

    2016-06-13

    Promotion of healthy lifestyles in children focuses predominantly on proper nutrition and physical activity, elements now widely recognised as essential for a healthy life. Systematic reviews have shown that nature-related activities also enhance general well-being as reflected in increased physical activity, a healthier diet, reduced stress and better sleep. Recent research suggests that many young children in Hong Kong between the ages of two and four in Hong Kong are more sedentary than recommended and seldom participate in active play, placing them at risk of becoming overweight or obese. The proposed project aims to investigate whether connecting families to nature positively influences physical activity (i.e., active playtime) and healthy eating routines in children aged 2 to 4. We recently conducted a pilot study in Hong Kong to develop a programme, Play & Grow, based on the most successful evidence-based international preschool interventions. In addition to adopting the healthy eating and physical activity elements of these interventions, this project will additionally include a third novel element of Connectedness to nature: discovering nature through games and awareness of sounds, touch, smells, and temperature. To test the effectiveness of this modified intervention, a randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving 240 families with children aged 2 to 4 will be conducted. Families and children will take part in weekly one-hour activity sessions for 10-weeks. Lifestyle-related habits will be assessed before and immediately after the 10-week intervention, with follow up testing at 6 and 12 months' post intervention. A novel measuring tool created specifically for assessing Connectedness to nature, Nature Relatedness Scale (NRS), will be validated and tested for reliability prior to the RCT. The results of the RCT are intended to be used to understand which components of the intervention are most effective. The objectives of this project will be achieved

  13. Using Genograms Creatively to Promote Healthy Lifestyles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casado-Kehoe, Montserrat; Kehoe, Michael P.

    2007-01-01

    Family therapists have used genograms as an assessment tool for years to examine the interactions and relationships of family members across generations. This article discusses how a therapist can use a genogram creatively to help clients examine the impact of family relationships on healthy and unhealthy lifestyle patterns and how those…

  14. Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics: total diet approach to healthy eating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeland-Graves, Jeanne H; Nitzke, Susan

    2013-02-01

    It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that the total diet or overall pattern of food eaten is the most important focus of healthy eating. All foods can fit within this pattern if consumed in moderation with appropriate portion size and combined with physical activity. The Academy strives to communicate healthy eating messages that emphasize a balance of food and beverages within energy needs, rather than any one food or meal. Public policies and dietary patterns that support the total diet approach include the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet, MyPlate, Let's Move, Nutrition Facts labels, Healthy People 2020, and the Dietary Reference Intakes. In contrast to the total diet approach, classification of specific foods as good or bad is overly simplistic and can foster unhealthy eating behaviors. Alternative approaches are necessary in some situations. Eating practices are dynamic and influenced by many factors, including taste and food preferences, weight concerns, physiology, time and convenience, environment, abundance of foods, economics, media/marketing, perceived product safety, culture, and attitudes/beliefs. To increase the effectiveness of nutrition education in promoting sensible food choices, skilled food and nutrition practitioners utilize appropriate behavioral theory and evidence-based strategies. Focusing on variety, moderation, and proportionality in the context of a healthy lifestyle, rather than targeting specific nutrients or foods, can help reduce consumer confusion and prevent unnecessary reliance on supplements. Proactive, empowering, and practical messages that emphasize the total diet approach promote positive lifestyle changes. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. A Multilevel Approach to Breastfeeding Promotion: Using Healthy Start to Deliver Individual Support and Drive Collective Impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leruth, Chelsey; Goodman, Jacqueline; Bragg, Brian; Gray, Dara

    2017-12-01

    Purpose Breastfeeding has been linked to a host of positive health effects for women and children. However, disparities in breastfeeding initiation and duration prevent many low-income and African-American women from realizing these benefits. Existing breastfeeding promotion efforts often do not reach women who need support the most. In response, the Westside Healthy Start program (WHS), located in Chicago, Illinois, developed an ongoing multilevel approach to breastfeeding promotion. Description Key elements of our WHS breastfeeding model include individual education and counseling from pregnancy to 6 months postpartum and partnership with a local safety-net hospital to implement the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and provide lactation support to delivering patients. Assessment In the year our model was implemented, 44.6% (49/110) of prenatal WHS participants reported that they planned to breastfeed, and 67.0% (183/273) of delivered participants initiated. Among participants reaching 6 months postpartum, 10.5% (9/86) were breastfeeding. WHS also had 2667 encounters with women delivering at our partner hospital during breastfeeding rounds, with 65.1% of contacts initiating. Community data was not available to assess the efficacy of our model at the local level. However, WHS participants fared better than all delivering patients at our partner hospital, where 65.0% initiated in 2015. Conclusion Healthy Start programs are a promising vehicle to improve breastfeeding initiation at the individual and community level. Additional evaluation is necessary to understand barriers to duration and services needed for this population.

  16. Healthy Municipios in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Restrepo, H E; Llanos, G; Contreras, A; Rocabado, F; Gross, S; Suárez, J; González, J

    1995-09-01

    This article describes the Healthy Municipios movement in Latin America and gives examples of some PAHO projects that could become demonstration projects. The Healthy Municipios movement was established in the early 1990s. The movement aims to promote healthy municipalities according to objectives set forth in the 1987 Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion, the 1992 Declaration of Bogota, and the 1993 Caribbean Health Promotion Charter. The movement is a joint effort of government, the health sector, and the community in promoting health locally. Key features of the movement are its creativity, variety, political strength, and adaptation to local conditions. Technical cooperation serves the purpose of facilitating information exchange and promotes the use of modern techniques of analysis and scientific and technical information. All projects shared the following common features: initiation by the local community with strong political commitment, intersectoral organizational structure, widespread community mobilization and participation, problem solving activities, and a recognizable leader. Pioneering projects include the Comprehensive Project for Cienfuegos, Cuba; the Health Manizales, Colombia; the Network in Mexico; Baruta and El Hatillo, Venezuela; Valdivia, Chile; and San Carlos Canton, Costa Rica. It is concluded that these projects and most others aim to assure equity. These efforts are important for placing health on the political agenda and implementing healthy policies. The Valdivia project, for example, serves a population of about 120,000 in the urban city of Valdivia, the semi-urban area, and rural areas. The project was officially sanctioned by the President of Chile on World Health Day in 1993. Progress was reported in mass communication and school-based programs. Attention was directed also to prevention of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and to the problem of traffic accidents.

  17. Scleroderma keratinocytes promote fibroblast activation independent of transforming growth factor beta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCoy, Sara S; Reed, Tamra J; Berthier, Celine C; Tsou, Pei-Suen; Liu, Jianhua; Gudjonsson, Johann E; Khanna, Dinesh; Kahlenberg, J Michelle

    2017-11-01

    SSc is a devastating disease that results in fibrosis of the skin and other organs. Fibroblasts are a key driver of the fibrotic process through deposition of extracellular matrix. The mechanisms by which fibroblasts are induced to become pro-fibrotic remain unclear. Thus, we examined the ability of SSc keratinocytes to promote fibroblast activation and the source of this effect. Keratinocytes were isolated from skin biopsies of 9 lcSSc, 10 dcSSc and 13 control patients. Conditioned media was saved from the cultures. Normal fresh primary fibroblasts were exposed to healthy control and SSc keratinocyte conditioned media in the presence or absence of neutralizing antibodies for TGF-β. Gene expression was assessed by microarrays and real-time PCR. Immunocytochemistry was performed for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen type 1 (COL1A1) and CCL5 expression. SSc keratinocyte conditioned media promoted fibroblast activation, characterized by increased α-SMA and COL1A1 mRNA and protein expression. This effect was independent of TGF-β. Microarray analysis identified upregulation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) pathways in both SSc subtypes. Scleroderma keratinocytes exhibited increased expression of NF-κB-regulated cytokines and chemokines and lesional skin staining confirmed upregulation of CCL5 in basal keratinocytes. Scleroderma keratinocytes promote the activation of fibroblasts in a TGF-β-independent manner and demonstrate an imbalance in NF-κB1 and PPAR-γ expression leading to increased cytokine and CCL5 production. Further study of keratinocyte mediators of fibrosis, including CCL5, may provide novel targets for skin fibrosis therapy. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  18. Misleading health-related information promoted through video-based social media: anorexia on YouTube.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syed-Abdul, Shabbir; Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Jian, Wen-Shan; Li, Yu-Chuan; Crain, Steven; Hsu, Min-Huei; Wang, Yao-Chin; Khandregzen, Dorjsuren; Chuluunbaatar, Enkhzaya; Nguyen, Phung Anh; Liou, Der-Ming

    2013-02-13

    The amount of information being uploaded onto social video platforms, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Veoh, continues to spiral, making it increasingly difficult to discern reliable health information from misleading content. There are thousands of YouTube videos promoting misleading information about anorexia (eg, anorexia as a healthy lifestyle). The aim of this study was to investigate anorexia-related misinformation disseminated through YouTube videos. We retrieved YouTube videos related to anorexia using the keywords anorexia, anorexia nervosa, proana, and thinspo on October 10, 2011.Three doctors reviewed 140 videos with approximately 11 hours of video content, classifying them as informative, pro-anorexia, or others. By informative we mean content describing the health consequences of anorexia and advice on how to recover from it; by pro-anorexia we mean videos promoting anorexia as a fashion, a source of beauty, and that share tips and methods for becoming and remaining anorexic. The 40 most-viewed videos (20 informative and 20 pro-anorexia videos) were assessed to gauge viewer behavior. The interrater agreement of classification was moderate (Fleiss' kappa=0.5), with 29.3% (n=41) being rated as pro-anorexia, 55.7% (n=78) as informative, and 15.0% (n=21) as others. Pro-anorexia videos were favored 3 times more than informative videos (odds ratio [OR] 3.3, 95% CI 3.3-3.4, Ptrustworthiness of online information about beauty and healthy lifestyles. Health authorities producing videos to combat anorexia should consider involving celebrities and models to reach a wider audience. More research is needed to study the characteristics of pro-anorexia videos in order to develop algorithms that will automatically detect and filter those videos before they become popular.

  19. STRIVE, San Diego! Methodology of a Community-Based Participatory Intervention to Enhance Healthy Dining at Asian and Pacific Islander Restaurants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oropeza, Sarah; Sadile, Mary Grace; Phung, Chantine Nguyen; Cabiles, Moana; Spackman, Sandy; Abuan, Myleen; Seligman, Fe; Araneta, Maria Rosario

    2018-03-01

    Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations have elevated prevalence of dietary-related chronic conditions; however, culturally relevant dietary interventions are lacking. This article describes the methodology for a community-based participatory intervention. Strategies to Reach and Implement the Vision of Health Equity, San Diego! aims to increase access to healthy food in AANHPI restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers' markets. Time series quasi-experimental study design. Dietitians, health promotion specialists, and community partners collaborated with restaurant owners and chefs to develop culturally tailored approaches without compromising traditional flavors. AANHPI restaurants in San Diego County, CA. Twenty restaurants and 600 diners are anticipated and will be sampled at 3 intervals for a total of 1,800 diners. We describe the community-based interventions within restaurants, including (1) analyzing and modifying selected recipes to create and promote healthier dishes; (2) providing nutrition labels on selected food items; (3) marketing healthy menu items through food tastings, signage, and social media promotion; and (4) offering low-sodium soy sauce and other condiments. Temporal changes in availability of healthful options, and the frequency of healthy dining choices. Program evaluation consists of assessment of the nutritional environment in 20 participating restaurants and surveys of customers' opinions and behaviors at baseline and at 3 and 12 months postintervention. Fifteen restaurants have been recruited to date. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The role of masturbation in healthy sexual development: perceptions of young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaestle, Christine E; Allen, Katherine R

    2011-10-01

    Despite efforts to identify masturbation as a strategy to improve sexual health, promote relational intimacy, and reduce unwanted pregnancy, STIs, and HIV transmission, masturbation as a context for healthy sexual development has been met with silence or trepidation in the scientific and educational communities. Relegated to the realm of commercial media, rather than rational discourse in families, schools, and the general public, young people receive mixed messages about this non-reproductive sexual behavior. In order to explore how young adults have learned about masturbation and currently perceive masturbation, we conducted a grounded theory study of 72 college students (56 females; 16 males) enrolled in a human sexuality class. Findings revealed that a young adult's perceptions of and feelings toward masturbation were the result of a developmental process that included: (1) learning about the act of masturbation and how to do it, (2) learning and internalizing the social contradiction of stigma and taboo surrounding this pleasurable act, and (3) coming to terms with this tension between stigma and pleasure. Although nearly all participants learned about masturbation through the media and peers (not parents or teachers), gender was salient in coming to terms with the contradiction of stigma and pleasure. Most of the women reported either still struggling with the contradiction or accepting it as normal. Most of the men recognized the beneficial aspects for healthy sexual development that result from masturbation. Both male and female participants identified differential sexual scripts as contributing to the double standard.

  1. The Role of Parents' Critical Thinking About Media in Shaping Expectancies, Efficacy and Nutrition Behaviors for Families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin, Erica Weintraub; Pinkleton, Bruce E; Radanielina-Hita, Marie Louise; Ran, Weina

    2015-01-01

    A convenience survey completed online by 137 4-H parents in Washington state explored their orientation toward critical thinking regarding media sources and content and its implications for family dietary behaviors. Parents' critical thinking toward media sources predicted their information efficacy about content. Critical thinking toward media content predicted information efficacy about sources, expectancies for parental mediation, and expectancies for family receptiveness to lower-fat dietary changes. Expectancies for receptiveness to dietary changes and expectancies for parental mediation predicted efficacy for implementing healthy dietary practices; this strongly predicted healthy dietary practices. Media-related critical thinking, therefore, indirectly but consistently affected self-reported family dietary behaviors through its effects on efficacy for managing media and expectancies for the family's receptiveness to healthy dietary changes. The results suggest parents' media literacy skills affect their family's dietary behavior. Health campaigns that help parents interpret and manage the media environment may benefit all family members.

  2. Impact of Social Media on Prevention of Arterial Hypertension

    OpenAIRE

    Pushina, O.S.

    2016-01-01

    The results of the analysis of the impact of social media on the prevention of arterial hypertension are given. The current situation and the possibility of usage of social media for awareness, prevention and monitoring of public knowledge about arterial hypertension risk factors and healthy lifestyle, as well as the risks of penetration of social media in medicine is analyzed.

  3. Healthy Gaming - Video Game Design to promote Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brox, E; Fernandez-Luque, L; Tøllefsen, T

    2011-01-01

    There is an increasing interest in health games including simulation tools, games for specific conditions, persuasive games to promote a healthy life style or exergames where physical exercise is used to control the game. The objective of the article is to review current literature about available health games and the impact related to game design principles as well as some educational theory aspects. Literature from the big databases and known sites with games for health has been searched to find articles about games for health purposes. The focus has been on educational games, persuasive games and exergames as well as articles describing game design principles. The medical objectives can either be a part of the game theme (intrinsic) or be totally dispatched (extrinsic), and particularly persuasive games seem to use extrinsic game design. Peer support is important, but there is only limited research on multiplayer health games. Evaluation of health games can be both medical and technical, and the focus will depend on the game purpose. There is still not enough evidence to conclude which design principles work for what purposes since most of the literature in health serious games does not specify design methodologies, but it seems that extrinsic methods work in persuasion. However, when designing health care games it is important to define both the target group and main objective, and then design a game accordingly using sound game design principles, but also utilizing design elements to enhance learning and persuasion. A collaboration with health professionals from an early design stage is necessary both to ensure that the content is valid and to have the game validated from a clinical viewpoint. Patients need to be involved, especially to improve usability. More research should be done on social aspects in health games, both related to learning and persuasion.

  4. Characterization of human erythroid burst-promoting activity derived from bone marrow conditioned media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Porter, P.N.; Ogawa, M.

    1982-01-01

    Bone marrow conditioned media (BMCM) increases burst number and the incorporation of 59 Fe into heme by bursts when peripheral blood or bone marrow cells are cultured at limiting serum concentrations. Burst-promoting activity (BPA) has now been purified approximately 300-fold from this source by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and absorption chromatography on hydroxyapatite agarose gel. Marrow BPA increased burst number and hemoglobin (Hb) synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. A larger increase in Hb synthesis than in burst number was consistently observed, which was probably a consequence of the increase in the number of cells per burst that occurs in the presence of BPA. The role of BPA in culture could be distinguished from erythropoietin (Ep), since no bursts grew in the absence of Ep, whether or not BPA was present, and since it had no effect on the growth of erythroid colonies scored at day 5 of culture. Our purified fraction did not support the growth of CFU-C in culture. Activity was stable at temperatures of 70 degrees C or lower for 10 min; exposure to 80 degrees C resulted in approximately 50% loss of activity. BPA was completely inactivated by treatment at 100 degrees C for 10 min. Thus, human bone marrow cells produce a heat-sensitive factor that specifically promotes the growth of early erythroid progenitors in culture

  5. Social Media and Nurses: Insights for Promoting Health for Individual and Professional Use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Jennifer; Fraser, Robert; Ash, Peter

    2014-09-30

    Social media use can have a significant impact on the health of nurses, both at the individual level and in the workplace. There are positive and negative consequences of social media use for nurses, including potential health consequences. This article provides a brief overview of social media and then explores nursing health and social media and risks for nurses. Social media use also extends to healthcare organizations; with implications for consumers of healthcare delivery. A variety of emerging best practices can guide social media use for nurses. The authors also discuss suggestions for using social media carefully, and future directions for research.

  6. [WHO Healthy City Initiative in Japan].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshizawa, Kazuko

    2013-01-01

    City environmental conditions are associated with health outcomes in people living there. World Health Organization (WHO) initiated Healthy City in 1986. To promote the networking, Alliance for Healthy Cities (AFHC) was launched in 2003 with local offices including AFHC Japan. As of 2010, 26 cities are members of AFHC Japan. A questionnaire was sent to those member cities. It includes questions on why they became an AFHC member, which section is in charge of the initiatives, what factors are important for promotion, and others. Out of the 26 cities, 13 cities returned the completed questionnaire. As for factors important for promoting the initiatives, 10 (77%) out of the 13 cities answered "consciousness of residents", while five (38%) chose "budget". This result suggests that community participation is a more important factor than budget for promoting and succeeding in the initiatives. Aging is a problem in any of the member cities, and six cities out the 13 falls under the category of superaged society, which is defined as a society with the proportion of aged people cities (85%) agreed that bicycles are an alternative means of transportation to cars; however, infrastructure for ensuring safety needs further improvement. In the promotion of Healthy City, networking among the member cities in Japan and worldwide should be promoted. Community participation with empowerment from the planning stage should lead to sustainable initiatives. The function of AFHC in collaboration among the members should be strengthened to cope with the rapidly changing city environment.

  7. Leveraging Social Media to Promote Evidence-Based Continuing Medical Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, Simone; Hebert, Paul; Korenstein, Deborah; Ryan, Mark; Jordan, William B; Keyhani, Salomeh

    2017-01-01

    New dissemination methods are needed to engage physicians in evidence-based continuing medical education (CME). To examine the effectiveness of social media in engaging physicians in non-industry-sponsored CME. We tested the effect of different media platforms (e-mail, Facebook, paid Facebook and Twitter), CME topics, and different "hooks" (e.g., Q&A, clinical pearl and best evidence) on driving clicks to a landing site featuring non-industry sponsored CME. We modelled the effects of social media platform, CME topic, and hook using negative binomial regression on clicks to a single landing site. We used clicks to landing site adjusted for exposure and message number to calculate rate ratios. To understand how physicians interact with CME content on social media, we also conducted interviews with 10 physicians. The National Physicians Alliance (NPA) membership. NPA e-mail recipients, Facebook followers and friends, and Twitter followers. Clicks to the NPA's CME landing site. On average, 4,544 recipients received each message. Messages generated a total of 592 clicks to the landing site, for a rate of 5.4 clicks per 1000 recipients exposed. There were 5.4 clicks from e-mail, 11.9 clicks from Facebook, 5.5 clicks from paid Facebook, and 6.9 clicks from Twitter to the landing site for 1000 physicians exposed to each of 4 selected CME modules. A Facebook post generated 2.3x as many clicks to the landing site as did an e-mail after controlling for participant exposure, hook type and CME topic (pmedia might not be a preferred vehicle for disseminating CME. Social media has a modest impact on driving traffic to evidence-based CME options. Facebook had a superior effect on driving physician web traffic to evidence-based CME compared to other social media platforms and email.

  8. When static media promote active learning: annotated illustrations versus narrated animations in multimedia instruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayer, Richard E; Hegarty, Mary; Mayer, Sarah; Campbell, Julie

    2005-12-01

    In 4 experiments, students received a lesson consisting of computer-based animation and narration or a lesson consisting of paper-based static diagrams and text. The lessons used the same words and graphics in the paper-based and computer-based versions to explain the process of lightning formation (Experiment 1), how a toilet tank works (Experiment 2), how ocean waves work (Experiment 3), and how a car's braking system works (Experiment 4). On subsequent retention and transfer tests, the paper group performed significantly better than the computer group on 4 of 8 comparisons, and there was no significant difference on the rest. These results support the static media hypothesis, in which static illustrations with printed text reduce extraneous processing and promote germane processing as compared with narrated animations.

  9. Design and methods for "Commit to Get Fit" - a pilot study of a school-based mindfulness intervention to promote healthy diet and physical activity among adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmoirago-Blotcher, Elena; Druker, Sue; Meyer, Florence; Bock, Beth; Crawford, Sybil; Pbert, Lori

    2015-03-01

    Cardiovascular prevention is more effective if started early in life, but available interventions to promote healthy lifestyle habits among youth have been ineffective. Impulsivity in particular has proven to be an important barrier to the adoption of healthy behaviors in youth. Observational evidence suggests that mindfulness interventions may reduce impulsivity and improve diet and physical activity. We hypothesize that mindfulness training in adjunct to traditional health education will improve dietary habits and physical activity among teenagers by reducing impulsive behavior and improving planning skills. The Commit to Get Fit study is a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial examining the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of school-based mindfulness training in adjunct to traditional health education for promotion of a healthy diet and physical activity among adolescents. Two schools in central Massachusetts (30 students per school) will be randomized to receive mindfulness training plus standard health education (HE-M) or an attention-control intervention plus standard health education (HE-AC). Assessments will be conducted at baseline, intervention completion (2 months), and 8 months. Primary outcomes are feasibility and acceptability. Secondary outcomes include physical activity, diet, impulsivity, mood, body mass index, and quality of life. This study will provide important information about feasibility and preliminary estimates of efficacy of a school-delivered mindfulness and health education intervention to promote healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors among adolescents. Our findings will provide important insights about the possible mechanisms by which mindfulness training may contribute to behavioral change and inform future research in this important area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. eHealth promotion and social innovation with youth: using social and visual media to engage diverse communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norman, Cameron D; Yip, Andrea L

    2012-01-01

    Social media and the multimedia networks that they support provide a platform for engaging youth and young adults across diverse contexts in a manner that supports different forms of creative expression. Drawing on more than 15 years of experience using eHealth promotion strategies to youth engagement, the Youth Voices Research Group (YVRG) and its partners have created novel opportunities for young people to explore health topics ranging from tobacco use, food security, mental health, to navigation of health services. Through applying systems and design thinking, the YVRG approach to engaging youth will be presented using examples from its research and practice that combine social organizing with arts-informed methods for creative expression using information technology. This presentation focuses on the way in which the YVRG has introduced interactive blogging, photographic elicitation, and video documentaries, alongside real-world social action projects, to promote youth health and to assist in research and evaluation. Opportunities and barriers including literacy and access to technology are discussed and presented along with emerging areas of research including more effective use of smartphones and social networking platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in health promotion and public health.

  11. Communications and Media Relations Officer | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Brings to the attention of the Media Relations Advisor and/or Social Media Officer in ... Monitors, evaluates and reports on the effectiveness and influence of IDRC's social ... projects to promote research results among regional decision-makers.

  12. Can counter-advertising reduce pre-adolescent children's susceptibility to front-of-package promotions on unhealthy foods? Experimental research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Helen; Scully, Maree; Kelly, Bridget; Chapman, Kathy; Wakefield, Melanie

    2014-09-01

    This study aimed to test whether counter-advertisements (i.e. messages contesting industry marketing) make pre-adolescent children less susceptible to the influence of food promotions. Since children have lower media literacy levels due to their immature cognitive abilities, specific research questions explored were: (1) whether the effectiveness of counter-ads is contingent on children having understood them; and (2) whether counter-ads may be detrimental when they are misinterpreted. A between-subjects experimental design using a web-based methodology was employed. 1351 grade 5-6 students (mean age 11 years) from schools located in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia participated. Participants were randomly shown an animated web banner advertisement (counter-ad challenging front-of-package promotion or control ad) and a pair of food packages from the same product category comprising an unhealthy product featuring a front-of-package promotion (nutrient content claim or sports celebrity endorsement) and a healthier control pack without a front-of-package promotion. Responses to the assigned advertisement, choice of product (healthy versus unhealthy) and ratings of the unhealthy product and front-of-package promotion on various nutritional and image-related attributes were recorded for each child. Sixty-six percent of children who viewed a counter-ad understood its main message. These children rated the front-of-package promotion as less believable and rated the unhealthy product bearing the front-of-package promotion as less healthy compared to the control group. However, children who misunderstood the counter-ad rated the unhealthy product bearing a front-of-package promotion as more healthy and rated the front-of-package promotion more favourably than those who correctly understood the counter-ad. Counter-advertising may have unintended consequences when misunderstood. If public health organizations or government pursue counter-advertising as a strategy to reduce

  13. Some like it healthy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Contini, Caterina; Casini, Leonardo; Stancu, Violeta

    2015-01-01

    Authorising new health claims in Europe will favour the diffusion on the market of a greater number of foods with health claims. This scenario presents new opportunities to promote healthy food choices and launches new challenges to define strategies aimed at promoting products on the market...... sensitive of health claims and to characterise them with respect to the rest of the population. The results supply insights for the development of more targeted health promotion campaigns, as well as for actions in food marketing....

  14. The Promotion of Democratic Behavior and the Role of Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Muhammad Saqib; Khan, Irfanullah; Khan, Ahmad Ali; Jan, Farooq; Ahmad, Riaz; Rauf, Hamid

    2015-01-01

    This study is conducted to measure the influence of social media over the democratic behavior of the students. Social media is the main component of political participation in democratic societies and the study of democratic behavior is a highly specialized sub-field in political and social science. The study was concerned with the reasons that to…

  15. Developing a Mass Media Campaign to Promote Mammography Awareness in African American Women in the Nation's Capital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallington, Sherrie Flynt; Oppong, Bridget; Iddirisu, Marquita; Adams-Campbell, Lucile L

    2017-12-26

    This study developed and examined the reach and impact of a culturally appropriate mass media campaign pilot, designed to increase awareness about the importance of mammography screening and the available community mammography services for low-income African American women ages 40 and above. We conducted formative research using focus groups to inform campaign development, resulting in five emergent themes-good breast health, holistic views of healthiness, cancer fatalism, fear of mammogram machines, and mammogram affordability. The campaign targeted specific low-income African American communities in the District of Columbia via print ads in Metro stations and on buses, print ads in the Washington Informer, and online ads on a local TV network website. Data were collected before, during, and after campaign implementation to assess reach and impact. Reach was measured by number of impressions (number of people exposed to the campaign), while impact was assessed via online ad click-through rates, website use and referrals, and mammography center calls. The campaign was successful in reaching the target audience, with a total combined reach from all media of 9,479,386 impressions. In addition, the mammography center received significant increases in new website visitors (1482 during the campaign, compared to 24 during the preceding period) as well as 97 calls to the dedicated phone line. Further research involving a more long-term investment in terms of funding and campaign run time, coupled with a more robust evaluation, is needed to assess if culturally appropriate mass media campaigns can generate increased mammography screening rates and decrease breast-cancer-related mortality.

  16. Price-based promotions of alcohol: legislative consistencies and inconsistencies across the Australian retail, entertainment and media sectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wardle, Jon

    2015-05-01

    Excessive alcohol consumption is a major public health issue internationally, with alcohol consumption being recognised as a leading cause of preventable illness and major social burden. To help ameliorate the risks and harms associated with alcohol consumption, all levels of governments have explored various legislative and regulatory provisions to support responsible alcohol consumption, service and promotion. In this article, using Australia as a case study, the legislative environment around responsible alcohol promotion and consumption across the Australian retail, entertainment and media sectors will be explored, with a focus on pricing and volume-based discounts. Whilst the potential harm and effect of both the licensed and non-licensed sectors appears to be widely acknowledged as similar in both scope and size of effect, legislative protections overwhelmingly focus solely on reducing the risks associated with alcohol consumption in licensed premises. This article explores the legislative provisions around preventing excessive alcohol consumption through promotional and marketing activities, and notes that whilst the licensed premises sector is facing increasing legislative restrictions, the off-premises sector remains unregulated and in some cases has even had existing restrictions removed, despite forming an increasing part of the alcohol chain in Australia. There appear to be inconsistencies and regulatory gaps in relation to price-based and volume-based discount alcohol promotions. Regulatory loopholes allow the retail sector in particular to use discounted alcohol as a promotional tool, in a way that is inconsistent with the goals of public health alcohol legislation, and in a way which would be illegal in any other sector. There appears to be a compelling case for introducing new restrictions, or extending existing restrictions, on these forms of promotion across all sectors involved in alcohol promotion, and there is considerable evidence that there

  17. Development of a training programme for home health care workers to promote preventive activities focused on a healthy lifestyle : an intervention mapping approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Walters, Maaike E.; Dijkstra, Arie; de Winter, Andrea F.; Reijneveld, Sijmen A.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Lifestyle is an important aspect in maintaining good health in older adults, and home health care (HHC) workers can play an important role in promoting a healthy lifestyle. However, there is limited evidence in the literature regarding how to develop an effective training programme to

  18. The impact of social media promotion with infographics and podcasts on research dissemination and readership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoma, Brent; Murray, Heather; Huang, Simon York Ming; Milne, William Ken; Martin, Lynsey J; Bond, Christopher M; Mohindra, Rohit; Chin, Alvin; Yeh, Calvin H; Sanderson, William B; Chan, Teresa M

    2018-03-01

    In 2015 and 2016, the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine (CJEM) Social Media (SoMe) Team collaborated with established medical websites to promote CJEM articles using podcasts and infographics while tracking dissemination and readership. CJEM publications in the "Original Research" and "State of the Art" sections were selected by the SoMe Team for podcast and infographic promotion based on their perceived interest to emergency physicians. A control group was composed retrospectively of articles from the 2015 and 2016 issues with the highest Altmetric score that received standard Facebook and Twitter promotions. Studies on SoMe topics were excluded. Dissemination was quantified by January 1, 2017 Altmetric scores. Readership was measured by abstract and full-text views over a 3-month period. The number needed to view (NNV) was calculated by dividing abstract views by full-text views. Twenty-nine of 88 articles that met inclusion were included in the podcast (6), infographic (11), and control (12) groups. Descriptive statistics (mean, 95% confidence interval) were calculated for podcast (Altmetric: 61, 42-80; Abstract: 1795, 1135-2455; Full-text: 431, 0-1031), infographic (Altmetric: 31.5, 19-43; Abstract: 590, 361-819; Full-text: 65, 33-98), and control (Altmetric: 12, 8-15; Abstract: 257, 159-354; Full-Text: 73, 38-109) articles. The NNV was 4.2 for podcast, 9.0 for infographic, and 3.5 for control articles. Discussion Limitations included selection bias, the influence of SoMe promotion on the Altmetric scores, and a lack of generalizability to other journals. Collaboration with established SoMe websites using podcasts and infographics was associated with increased Altmetric scores and abstract views but not full-text article views.

  19. Evaluation of the implementation of Get Healthy at Work, a workplace health promotion program in New South Wales, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanal, Santosh; Lloyd, Beverley; Rissel, Chris; Portors, Claire; Grunseit, Anne; Indig, Devon; Ibrahim, Ismail; McElduff, Sinead

    2016-02-01

    Issue addressed Get Healthy at Work (GHaW) is a statewide program to reduce chronic disease risk among NSW workers by helping them make small changes to modifiable lifestyle chronic disease risk factors and create workplace environments that support healthy lifestyles. It has two primary components: a workplace health program (WHP) for businesses and online or face-to-face Brief Health Checks (BHCs) for workers. In this paper, we discuss our evaluation to identify areas for improvement in the implementation of WHP and to assess the uptake of BHCs by workers. Methods Routinely collected WHP and BHC program data between July 2014 and February 2016 were analysed. A baseline online survey regarding workplace health promotion was conducted with 247 key contacts at registered GHaW worksites and a control group of 400 key contacts from a range of businesses. Seven telephone interviews were conducted with service provider key contacts. Results As at February 2016, 3133 worksites (from 1199 businesses) across NSW had registered for GHaW, of which 36.8% started the program. Similar proportions of GHaW (34.0%) and control (31.7%) businesses had existing WHPs. BHCs were completed by 12740 workers, and of those whose risks were assessed, 78.9% had moderate or high risk of diabetes and 33.6% had increased or high risk of cardiovascular disease. Approximately half (50.6%) of eligible BHC participants were referred to Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service (GHS) and 37.7% to Quitline. The uptake of face-to-face BHCs compared with online was significantly higher for males, people aged over 35 years, those undertaking less physical activity and those less likely to undertake active travel to work. Service providers suggested that the program's structured five-step pathway did not offer adequate flexibility to support worksites' progress through the program. Conclusions During the evaluation period, a substantial number of NSW worksites registered for GHaW but their progress

  20. Study protocol for a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention to promote healthy diets in toddlers: a cluster randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sissel H. Helland

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is concern about the lack of diversity in children’s diets, particularly low intakes of fruit and vegetables and high intakes of unhealthy processed food. This may be a factor in the rising prevalence of obesity. A reason for the lack of diversity in children’s diets may be food neophobia. This study aimed to promote a healthy and varied diet among toddlers in kindergarten. The primary objectives were to reduce food neophobia in toddlers, and promote healthy feeding practices among kindergarten staff and parents. Secondary objectives were to increase food variety in toddlers’ diets and reduce future overweight and obesity in these children. Methods This is an ongoing, cluster randomized trial. The intervention finished in 2014, but follow-up data collection is not yet complete. Eighteen randomly selected kindergartens located in two counties in Norway with enrolled children born in 2012 participated in the intervention. The kindergartens were matched into pairs based on background information, and randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. A 9-week multi-component intervention was implemented, with four main elements: 1 kindergarten staff implemented a pedagogical tool (Sapere method in daily sessions to promote willingness to try new food; 2 kindergarten staff prepared and served the toddlers a cooked lunch from a menu corresponding to the pedagogical sessions; 3 kindergarten staff were encouraged to follow 10 meal principles on modeling, responsive feeding, repeated exposure, and enjoyable meals; and 4 parents were encouraged to read information and apply relevant feeding practices at home. The control group continued their usual practices. Preference taste tests were conducted to evaluate behavioral food neophobia, and children’s height and weight were measured. Parents and staff completed questionnaires before and after the intervention. Data have not yet been analyzed. Discussion This study

  1. Healthy Eating and Academic Achievement

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2014-12-09

    This podcast highlights the evidence that supports the link between healthy eating and improved academic achievement. It also identifies a few actions to support a healthy school nutrition environment to improve academic achievement.  Created: 12/9/2014 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 12/9/2014.

  2. Peran Media Sosial sebagai Strategi Pemasaran pada Sewa Kostum Meiyu Aiko Malang

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Premi Wahyu Widyaningrum

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Marketing Strategies with utilize Advancement of Information Technology have impact financially efficient and practically process, with using social media can create the best result. Promoting business using social media which are free cost and can attract new customers social media user, this things very suitable if applied in SME (Small Medium Enterprises business. This research aims to explore the utilization of social media as marketing strategy for Small and medium enterprises (SMEs. Qualitative approach with the case study is used as research design. Researchers using in-depth interview to the owner of Meiyu Aiko in Malang. The results showed that the Marketing Strategy through social media and website for the promotion of costum rent’s service in Malang can build a strong relationship between management of Meiyu Aiko with consumers both online and offline. Promotional activities can easily provide brand awareness and can be transmitted by social media followers to users of other social media. This research also emphasize social media as online advertising that could be used as marketing strategy in today’s digital era.

  3. Using the media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-01-01

    To use the mass media (newspaper, radio, and TV) to reach a large audience with information about AIDS, it is important to choose the media outlets carefully, since they use information that satisfies their audience in content and style. For example, radio, TV, or videos are best to reach illiterate groups. Ways to approach each sector of the written and electronic media include press releases, news conferences, information kits, and personal contacts. Letters to the editor and offers of submitting articles for publication are additional ways to approach newspapers. Audio- or videocassettes with interviews or images conveying HIV/AIDS prevention messages can be submitted to TV and radio stations. It is important to present the information attractively to gain the journalists' attention. News releases should include sources of information and a contact name. It is important to inform the mass media of successes revolving around AIDS prevention, emphasizing local successes. One should identify what media slots have the most influence. For example, a medical officer in Chiang Mai, Thailand, notes that popular disc jockeys have more influence than do government information broadcasts. It is best to promote facts that probably will increase support for AIDS prevention campaigns. If possible, groups should seek free space or air time for AIDS prevention messages. AIDS prevention messages should not use fear because it does not promote safer sexual behavior. Instead, they should link condom use with a sense of independence, responsibility, and being fashionable. Leaflets, posters, videotapes, slides, displays, slogans, audiocassettes, T-shirts, stickers, and other activities or products reinforce the effectiveness of media campaigns. Interviews with or feature articles and programs about people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS chip away at the belief that "AIDS could never happen to me."

  4. School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Recommendations and Reports. Volume 60, Number 5

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutledge, Teresa F., Ed.

    2011-01-01

    During the last 3 decades, the prevalence of obesity has tripled among persons aged 6-19 years. Multiple chronic disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and high blood glucose levels are related to obesity. Schools have a responsibility to help prevent obesity and promote physical activity and healthy eating…

  5. Cancer Risk-Promoting Information: The Communication Environment of Young Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCloud, Rachel F; Kohler, Racquel E; Viswanath, K

    2017-09-01

    Young adulthood represents a time of myriad transitions, which leave young adults (YAs) more susceptible to the influences of cancer risk-promoting information. The tobacco, alcohol, indoor tanning, and food and beverage industries engage in aggressive marketing strategies through both traditional and social media to target this age group to consume their products, which have known links to cancer. Despite this barrage of messaging, detailed data are lacking on the communication behaviors of subgroups of this diverse age group, particularly those from low SES. This paper explores the available data on media usage among YAs and describes the cancer risk-promoting information environment, with a focus on communication inequalities and their implications for cancer research and control. Nationally representative data on media consumption patterns indicate that the majority of YAs access a diverse range of traditional and social media platforms, but these data do not fully describe differences at the intersection of age and important factors such as SES, gender, race/ethnicity, or urban/rural residence. Meanwhile, risk-promoting information is heavily marketed to YAs across media, with an increasing focus on using social media sites to normalize products and evade marketing restrictions. Gaps in the available data on YAs' media consumption behaviors, coupled with aggressive risk-promoting marketing strategies toward YAs, may impede cancer control efforts. Relationships between exposure to various cancer risk-promoting information, concurrent risk behaviors, SES disparities, and communication inequalities should be investigated to develop innovative and effective control programs and policies to promote cancer control in this important group. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Selection and Evaluation of Media for Behavioral Health Interventions Employing Critical Media Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Patrick A; Cherenack, Emily M; Jadwin-Cakmak, Laura; Harper, Gary W

    2018-01-01

    Although a growing number of psychosocial health promotion interventions use the critical analysis of media to facilitate behavior change, no specific guidelines exist to assist researchers and practitioners in the selection and evaluation of culturally relevant media stimuli for intervention development. Mobilizing Our Voices for Empowerment is a critical consciousness-based health enhancement intervention for HIV-positive Black young gay/bisexual men that employs the critical analysis of popular media. In the process of developing and testing this intervention, feedback on media stimuli was collected from youth advisory board members (n = 8), focus group participants (n = 19), intervention participants (n = 40), and intervention facilitators (n = 6). A thematic analysis of qualitative data resulted in the identification of four key attributes of media stimuli and participants' responses to media stimuli that are important to consider when selecting and evaluating media stimuli for use in behavioral health interventions employing the critical analysis of media: comprehension, relevance, emotionality, and action. These four attributes are defined and presented as a framework for evaluating media, and adaptable tools are provided based on this framework to guide researchers and practitioners in the selection and evaluation of media for similar interventions.

  7. A randomized controlled trial for families with preschool children - promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanja Sobko

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Promotion of healthy lifestyles in children focuses predominantly on proper nutrition and physical activity, elements now widely recognised as essential for a healthy life. Systematic reviews have shown that nature-related activities also enhance general well-being as reflected in increased physical activity, a healthier diet, reduced stress and better sleep. Recent research suggests that many young children in Hong Kong between the ages of two and four in Hong Kong are more sedentary than recommended and seldom participate in active play, placing them at risk of becoming overweight or obese. The proposed project aims to investigate whether connecting families to nature positively influences physical activity (i.e., active playtime and healthy eating routines in children aged 2 to 4. Methods We recently conducted a pilot study in Hong Kong to develop a programme, Play & Grow, based on the most successful evidence-based international preschool interventions. In addition to adopting the healthy eating and physical activity elements of these interventions, this project will additionally include a third novel element of Connectedness to nature: discovering nature through games and awareness of sounds, touch, smells, and temperature. To test the effectiveness of this modified intervention, a randomised controlled trial (RCT involving 240 families with children aged 2 to 4 will be conducted. Families and children will take part in weekly one-hour activity sessions for 10-weeks. Lifestyle-related habits will be assessed before and immediately after the 10-week intervention, with follow up testing at 6 and 12 months’ post intervention. Discussion A novel measuring tool created specifically for assessing Connectedness to nature, Nature Relatedness Scale (NRS, will be validated and tested for reliability prior to the RCT. The results of the RCT are intended to be used to understand which components of the intervention are most

  8. Using social media for knowledge translation, promotion of evidence-based medicine and high-quality information on health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puljak, Livia

    2016-02-02

    Knowledge translation activities may be targeted towards all participants in healthcare practices, including patients, consumers, and policy makers. Hereby, use of social media, namely social network Facebook, as a tool for knowledge translation, promotion of evidence-based medicine and high-quality information on health is described. In March 2013, a Facebook page of the Croatian Cochrane Branch was created and its main content are translated plain language summaries (PLS) of the systematic reviews produced by The Cochrane Collaboration. Since the page was created it has gained 1441 followers, mostly from Croatia and neighboring countries with similar language. Most of the page followers are women aged 25 to 44 and the most popular content is related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Page followers are lay persons, health professionals and journalists, who further disseminate the page content. In summary, social media enables multiple possibilities to engage with target audience and to disseminate the evidence-based medicine content. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  9. When Personal Tracking Becomes Social: Examining the Use of Instagram for Healthy Eating

    OpenAIRE

    Chung, Chia-Fang; Agapie, Elena; Schroeder, Jessica; Mishra, Sonali; Fogarty, James; Munson, Sean A.

    2017-01-01

    Many people appropriate social media and online communities in their pursuit of personal health goals, such as healthy eating or increased physical activity. However, people struggle with impression management, and with reaching the right audiences when they share health information on these platforms. Instagram, a popular photo-based social media platform, has attracted many people who post and share their food photos. We aim to inform the design of tools to support healthy behaviors by unde...

  10. Workplace Health Promotion in Small Enterprises in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasle, Peter; Peter, Wissing

    An analysis of the Danish experience with workplace health promotion including preventive activities aiming at a safe and healthy workplace.......An analysis of the Danish experience with workplace health promotion including preventive activities aiming at a safe and healthy workplace....

  11. [Healthy eating according to teenagers: perceptions, barriers, and expected characteristics of teaching materials].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toral, Natacha; Conti, Maria Aparecida; Slater, Betzabeth

    2009-11-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate perceptions, barriers, and characteristics of teaching materials to promote healthy eating, as described by teenagers. Four focus groups were conducted with 25 adolescents, including questions on: perceptions regarding diet and motivations to change; concepts of (and barriers to) healthy eating; and characteristics needed for teaching materials to promote healthy eating. The teens were often undecided when attempting to classify a diet as healthy. They generally reported feeling insecure about making dietary changes, but showed adequate notions of healthy eating. The main barriers involved personal and social characteristics: temptation, food flavors, parental influence, and lack of time and options for healthy snacks at school. According to these teenagers, educational materials for promotion of healthy eating should emphasize the immediate benefits and emphasize high-impact messages on the health risks of unhealthy diet.

  12. Social media and health information sharing among Australian Indigenous people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hefler, Marita; Kerrigan, Vicki; Henryks, Joanna; Freeman, Becky; Thomas, David P

    2018-04-17

    Despite the enormous potential of social media for health promotion, there is an inadequate evidence base for how they can be used effectively to influence behaviour. In Australia, research suggests social media use is higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than the general Australian population; however, health promoters need a better understanding of who uses technologies, how and why. This qualitative study investigates what types of health content are being shared among Aboriginal and Torres Strait people through social media networks, as well as how people engage with, and are influenced by, health-related information in their offline life. We present six social media user typologies together with an overview of health content that generated significant interaction. Content ranged from typical health-related issues such as mental health, diet, alcohol, smoking and exercise, through to a range of broader social determinants of health. Social media-based health promotion approaches that build on the social capital generated by supportive online environments may be more likely to generate greater traction than confronting and emotion-inducing approaches used in mass media campaigns for some health topics.

  13. On the use of Internet in promoting social virtues. Case study: Civic Parliament

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Concepción NAVAL

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Citizen participation is essential for democracies to be viable, sustainable and healthy. But it is necessary to establish the appropriate channels for exercising it; and we can not fail to consider the fact that people live in an increasingly interconnected society, where the mass media are a key social resource and can play an important role in fostering critical thinking and active citizenship (Livingstone, 2004; Buckingham, 2007. We understand that to achieve this, from the field of civic education, digital spaces should be considered as privileged spaces for participation. In this paper we show the initiatives undertaken by the «Civic Parliament» project to provide online teaching materials to the teachers so they can raise in their students certain social virtues. The challenges in this order are diverse, we could highlight two: to promote participatory awareness in students, and to combine the technical, pedagogical and ethical-civic aspects of media use (Gonzálvez, 2012. 

  14. Social media interventions to prevent HIV: A review of interventions and methodological considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tso, Lai Sze; Tang, Weiming; Li, Haochu; Yan, H Yanna; Tucker, Joseph D

    2016-06-01

    Persistent new HIV infections and risky behaviors underscore the need for enhanced HIV prevention. Social media interventions may promote safe sexual behaviors, increase HIV testing uptake, and promote safe injection behaviors. This review discusses how social media interventions tap into the wisdom of crowds through crowdsourcing, build peer-mentored communities, and deliver interventions through social networks. Social media HIV prevention interventions are constrained by ethical issues, low social media usage among some key populations, and implementation issues. Comprehensive measurement of social media interventions to prevent HIV is necessary, but requires further development of metrics.

  15. Misleading Health-Related Information Promoted Through Video-Based Social Media: Anorexia on YouTube

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yu-Chuan; Crain, Steven; Hsu, Min-Huei; Wang, Yao-Chin; Khandregzen, Dorjsuren; Chuluunbaatar, Enkhzaya; Nguyen, Phung Anh

    2013-01-01

    Introduction The amount of information being uploaded onto social video platforms, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Veoh, continues to spiral, making it increasingly difficult to discern reliable health information from misleading content. There are thousands of YouTube videos promoting misleading information about anorexia (eg, anorexia as a healthy lifestyle). Objective The aim of this study was to investigate anorexia-related misinformation disseminated through YouTube videos. Methods We retrieved YouTube videos related to anorexia using the keywords anorexia, anorexia nervosa, proana, and thinspo on October 10, 2011.Three doctors reviewed 140 videos with approximately 11 hours of video content, classifying them as informative, pro-anorexia, or others. By informative we mean content describing the health consequences of anorexia and advice on how to recover from it; by pro-anorexia we mean videos promoting anorexia as a fashion, a source of beauty, and that share tips and methods for becoming and remaining anorexic. The 40 most-viewed videos (20 informative and 20 pro-anorexia videos) were assessed to gauge viewer behavior. Results The interrater agreement of classification was moderate (Fleiss’ kappa=0.5), with 29.3% (n=41) being rated as pro-anorexia, 55.7% (n=78) as informative, and 15.0% (n=21) as others. Pro-anorexia videos were favored 3 times more than informative videos (odds ratio [OR] 3.3, 95% CI 3.3-3.4, P<.001). Conclusions Pro-anorexia information was identified in 29.3% of anorexia-related videos. Pro-anorexia videos are less common than informative videos; however, in proportional terms, pro-anorexia content is more highly favored and rated by its viewers. Efforts should focus on raising awareness, particularly among teenagers, about the trustworthiness of online information about beauty and healthy lifestyles. Health authorities producing videos to combat anorexia should consider involving celebrities and models to reach a wider audience. More

  16. Electronic game: A key effective technology to promote behavioral change in cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reza Safdari

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer diagnosis is a very unpleasant and unbelievable experience. Appropriate management and treatment of these diseases require a high degree of patient engagement. Interactive health electronic games are engaging, fun, challenging, and experiential and have the potential to change the attitude and behavior, which can improve the player's health. The use of these digital tools, as one of the most attractive and entertaining modern technologies, canem power patients, provide suitable palliative care, promote health behavior change strategies, increase patient engagement, enhance healthy lifestyle habits, improve self.management, and finally improve the quality of life of the patients. Finally, the aim of this article was to describe electronic games and their effects on the promotion of behavior change in cancer patients. In addition, this article describes categories, characteristic features, and benefits of this digital media in the lifestyle modification of cancer patients.

  17. The Use of Social Media in Teaching Race

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakagawa, Kathy; Arzubiaga, Angela E.

    2014-01-01

    This article explores ways in which race pedagogy interrogates social media as a significant influence on racism and source for race understandings. Social media serves as a context in which to learn about, challenge, and address issues of race. We discuss how social media may be used to promote racial literacy and question and resist racism,…

  18. Strategies to Increase After-School Program Staff Skills to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weaver, R Glenn; Beets, Michael W; Beighle, Aaron; Webster, Collin; Huberty, Jennifer; Moore, Justin B

    2016-01-01

    Standards targeting children's healthy eating and physical activity (HEPA) in after-school programs call for staff to display or refrain from HEPA-promoting or -discouraging behaviors that are linked to children's HEPA. This study evaluated strategies to align staff behaviors with HEPA Standards. Staff at four after-school programs serving approximately 500 children participated in professional development training from January 2012 to May 2013. Site leaders also attended workshops and received technical support during the same time frame. Changes in staff behaviors were evaluated using the System for Observing Staff Promotion of Activity and Nutrition in a pre- (fall 2011) multiple-post (spring 2012, fall 2012, and spring 2013), no-control group study design. A total of 8,949 scans were completed across the four measurement periods. Of the 19 behaviors measured, 14 changed in the appropriate direction. For example, staff engaging in physical activity with children increased from 27% to 40% of scans and staff eating unhealthy foods decreased from 56% to 14% of days. Ongoing training and technical assistance can have a measureable impact on staff behaviors linked to child-level HEPA outcomes. Future research should explore the feasibility of disseminating ongoing trainings to after-school program staff on a large scale. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

  19. Parental competence programs to promote positive parenting and healthy lifestyles in children: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Zaldibar, Cayetana; Serrano-Monzó, Inmaculada; Mujika, Agurtzane

    To analyze the available evidence regarding the efficacy of interventions on parents whose children were aged 2-5 years to promote parental competence and skills for children's healthy lifestyles. Articles published in English and Spanish, available at PubMed, Psycinfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, Eric, and Cochrane Library were reviewed. The literature search yielded 2282 articles. Forty-one full texts were retrieved and assessed for inclusion using the PRISMA flow diagram. Twenty-six articles were excluded, as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. In the end, 15 studies were included. The studies were conducted between 2003 and 2016, nine in North America, four in Europe, and two in Asia. Extracted data were synthesized in a tabular format. CASPe guide was used to assess the quality of studies that was moderate overall. Parental self-efficacy was the main construct assessed in most studies. Four studies reported an increase in parental self-efficacy, although most of them were studies without control groups. Outcomes of interventions to improve parental competence in order to promote children's lifestyles are promising, but inconsistent. Additional studies with higher methodological and conceptual quality are needed. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  20. Public Park Spaces as a Platform to Promote Healthy Living: Introducing a HealthPark Concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arena, Ross; Bond, Samantha; O'Neill, Robert; Laddu, Deepika R; Hills, Andrew P; Lavie, Carl J; McNeil, Amy

    The concept of Healthy Living (HL) as a primary medical intervention continues to gain traction, and rightfully so. Being physically active, consuming a nutritious diet, not smoking and maintaining an appropriate body weight constitute the HL polypill, the foundation of HL medicine (HLM). Daily use of the HL polypill, working toward optimal dosages, portends profound health benefits, substantially reducing the risk of chronic disease [i.e., cardiovascular disease (CVD), pulmonary disease, metabolic syndromes, certain cancers, etc.] and associated adverse health consequences. To be effective and proactive, our healthcare system must rethink where its primary intervention, HLM, is delivered. Waiting for individuals to come to the traditional outpatient setting is an ineffective approach as poor lifestyle habits are typically well established by the time care is initiated. Ideally, HLM should be delivered where individuals live, work and go to school, promoting immersion in a culture of health and wellness. To this end, there is a growing interest in the use of public parks as a platform to promote the adoption of HL behaviors. The current perspectives paper provides a brief literature review on the use of public parks for HL interventions and introduces a new HealthPark model being developed in Chicago. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Exploring adolescent views of body image: the influence of media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spurr, Shelley; Berry, Lois; Walker, Keith

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to present findings from two parallel qualitative studies that used focus groups to explore adolescent views of psychological wellness and healthy bodies. Nine focus groups were held with 46 adolescents aged 16-19 years from two Mid-Western Canadian high schools. Both studies were designed with an interpretive humanist perspective and then a 6-step thematic approach was used to analyze the data. Common themes emerging in the focus group discussions in both studies included the negative impact of media on adolescent body image and pressure to conform to the Western views of physical appearance. These findings illustrate the need for nurses to understand the influence of the media on adolescents' views of their body image and to incorporate protocols for assessment, education, and counseling of adolescents on the healthy usage of media into their pediatric clinical practice. Through consistent participation in the development and implementation of health policies, nurses play a critical role in supporting adolescents to develop healthy views of body image.

  2. Development of a training programme for home health care workers to promote preventive activities focused on a healthy lifestyle: an intervention mapping approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walters, Maaike E; Dijkstra, Arie; de Winter, Andrea F; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

    2015-07-09

    Lifestyle is an important aspect in maintaining good health in older adults, and home health care (HHC) workers can play an important role in promoting a healthy lifestyle. However, there is limited evidence in the literature regarding how to develop an effective training programme to improve the physical activity level and fruit and vegetable consumption of older adults within a HHC setting. The aim of this paper is to describe how Intervention Mapping (IM) was used to develop a training programme to promote preventive activities of HHC workers relating to the physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake of older adults living at home. IM, a systematic theory and evidence-based approach was used to develop, implement and evaluate the training programme. This entailed a literature search, a survey, semi-structured interviews and consultation with HHC workers and various field experts, and a pilot training session. The determinants associated with the provision of preventive activities were identified, and an overview was created of those objectives, matching methods and practical applications that could influence these determinants. The performance objectives for the HHC workers were early detection and monitoring, promoting a healthy lifestyle, informing colleagues, continuing allocated preventive activities and referring to other experts and facilities. Findings were translated into a comprehensive training programme for HHC workers focused on motivating older adults to adopt and maintain a healthier lifestyle. IM was a useful tool in the development of a theory-based training programme to promote preventive activities by HHC workers relating to fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity of older adults.

  3. Do audiences receive diverse ideas from news media? Exposure to a variety of news media and personal characteristics as determinants of diversity as received

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Wurff, R.

    2011-01-01

    Media policies in Europe traditionally promote a diverse media supply. This article investigates for the first time under what conditions audience members actually receive diversity. It focuses on the reception of diverse ideas on European integration from mainstream news media in Ireland and the

  4. SCHOOL AS A HEALTH PROMOTING PLACE FOR ITS STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andre Guirland Vieira

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The school has a strong commitment with the surrounding community as a space for the development of health promoting actions. However, for this space to be truly potentiating the quality of life, people should feel they are accepted and to participate in the process of building this healthy environment. So the aim of this study is to reflect upon the school as a health production space, and the importance of the health promoting school proposal.  For this purpose we conducted a theoretical research on school environment, social inclusion and health promotion in school facilities. Results point to the necessity for school to contribute for the development of healthy life abilities, reflecting upon life styles and promoting a healthy atmosphere for learning, which is appropriate for the student. That includes appraising individualities and establishing an atmosphere that potentiates healthy relations, with communication quality and with reflection upon diversities. It is specially found that teacher´s critical, creative and reflexive attitude plays an important role for healthy promoting school establishment, developing a pleasant, joyful and solidary environment, and stimulating joint search for doubts and questions.

  5. [The experience of the Permanent Workshop on Health and Nutrition Education - OPEAS: training of professionals for the promotion of healthy nutrition in schools].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juzwiak, Claudia Ridel; de Castro, Paula Morcelli; Batista, Sylvia Helena Souza da Silva

    2013-04-01

    This article analyzes the experience of the Permanent Workshop on Nutrition and Health Education, which provides ongoing education on health and nutrition for school nutritionists and educators. In 2009, nutritionists, principals/management assistants, pedagogical coordinators, teachers and nutrition undergraduates attended 10 workshops, which were based on Freire and Pichon-Rivière´s framework theories. Data analysis was performed using the Discourse of the Collective Subject method. At the beginning of their participation in the OPEAS, the relationship between educators and nutritionists was distant and few interdisciplinary activities were conducted. Communication among the school team, collaborative work with involvement of the whole school community, inclusion of food and nutrition education in the curricula, and provision of food as the central pedagogical tool were considered central to the promotion of healthy nutrition. In the final evaluation four central ideas were highlighted defining OPEAS as being important for knowledge acquisition, a setting for reflection, an opportunity for integration and a platform for putting ideas into practice. Ongoing education should be implemented with school professionals aiming to foster actions to promote healthy nutrition at school.

  6. From Aspiration to Action: A Learning Intentions Model to Promote Critical Engagement with Science in the Print-Based Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClune, Billy; Jarman, Ruth

    2011-11-01

    Science programmes which prepare students to read critically and respond thoughtfully to science-based reports in the media could play an important role in promoting informed participation in the public debate about issues relating to science, technology and society. Evidence based guidance about the practice and pattern of use of science-based media in the classroom is limited. This study sought to identify learning intentions that teachers believe ought to underpin the development of programmes of study designed to achieve this end-result. Teachers' views of knowledge, skills and attitudes required to engage critically with science-based news served as a basis for this study. Teachers developed a pedagogical model by selecting appropriate statements of learning intentions, grouping these into coherent and manageable themes and coding them according to perceived level of difficulty. The model is largely compatible with current curricular provision in the UK, highlights opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and illustrates the developmental nature of the topic.

  7. The Effect of Branding to Promote Healthy Behavior: Reducing Tobacco Use among Youth and Young Adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donna Vallone

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Policy interventions such as public health mass media campaigns disseminate messages in order to improve health-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors at the population level. Only more recently have campaigns that promote health-related behaviors adopted branding, a well-established marketing strategy, to influence how consumers think and feel about a message. This study examines whether positive brand equity for the national truth® campaign is associated with lower likelihood of cigarette use over time using the nationally representative Truth Longitudinal Cohort of youth and young adults, aged 15–21. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between brand equity and the likelihood of reporting past 30-day smoking over a 12-month period. Respondents who reported positive brand equity were significantly less likely to report past 30-day smoking 12 months later (OR = 0.66, p < 0.05, controlling for covariates known to influence tobacco use behavior. Findings also translate the effect size difference to a population estimate of more than 300,000 youth and young adults having been prevented from current smoking over the course of a year. Building brand equity is a strategic process for health promotion campaigns, not only to improve message recall and salience but also to influence behavioral outcomes.

  8. The Effect of Branding to Promote Healthy Behavior: Reducing Tobacco Use among Youth and Young Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallone, Donna; Greenberg, Marisa; Xiao, Haijun; Bennett, Morgane; Cantrell, Jennifer; Rath, Jessica; Hair, Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    Policy interventions such as public health mass media campaigns disseminate messages in order to improve health-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors at the population level. Only more recently have campaigns that promote health-related behaviors adopted branding, a well-established marketing strategy, to influence how consumers think and feel about a message. This study examines whether positive brand equity for the national truth® campaign is associated with lower likelihood of cigarette use over time using the nationally representative Truth Longitudinal Cohort of youth and young adults, aged 15–21. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between brand equity and the likelihood of reporting past 30-day smoking over a 12-month period. Respondents who reported positive brand equity were significantly less likely to report past 30-day smoking 12 months later (OR = 0.66, p < 0.05), controlling for covariates known to influence tobacco use behavior. Findings also translate the effect size difference to a population estimate of more than 300,000 youth and young adults having been prevented from current smoking over the course of a year. Building brand equity is a strategic process for health promotion campaigns, not only to improve message recall and salience but also to influence behavioral outcomes. PMID:29215555

  9. Yoga's potential for promoting healthy eating and physical activity behaviors among young adults: a mixed-methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watts, Allison W; Rydell, Sarah A; Eisenberg, Marla E; Laska, Melissa N; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

    2018-05-02

    A regular yoga practice may have benefits for young adult health, however, there is limited evidence available to guide yoga interventions targeting weight-related health. The present study explored the relationship between participation in yoga, healthy eating behaviors and physical activity among young adults. The present mixed-methods study used data collected as part of wave 4 of Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults), a population-based cohort study in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Young adults (n = 1820) completed the Project EAT survey and a food frequency questionnaire, and a subset who reported practicing yoga additionally participated in semi-structured interviews (n = 46). Analyses of survey data were used to examine cross-sectional associations between the frequency of yoga practice, dietary behaviors (servings of fruits and vegetables (FV), sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and snack foods and frequency of fast food consumption), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Thematic analysis of interview discussions further explored yoga's perceived influence on eating and activity behaviors among interview participants. Regular yoga practice was associated with more servings of FV, fewer servings of SSBs and snack foods, less frequent fast food consumption, and more hours of MVPA. Interviews revealed that yoga supported healthy eating through motivation to eat healthfully, greater mindfulness, management of emotional eating, more healthy food cravings, and the influence of the yoga community. Yoga supported physical activity through activity as part of yoga practice, motivation to do other forms of activity, increased capacity to be active, and by complementing an active lifestyle. Young adult yoga practitioners reported healthier eating behaviors and higher levels of physical activity than non-practitioners. Yoga should be investigated as an intervention for young adult health promotion and healthy weight management.

  10. Subjective Evaluation of Media Content as a Moderator of Media Effects on European Identity: Mere Exposure and the Hostile Media Phenomenon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Waqas Ejaz

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper posits that the concept of European identity is an important indicator of the legitimacy of the European Union (EU. It further assumes that the exposure to EU related media content can influence the feeling of European identity. In order to verify this assumption, we combined the mere-exposure-theory and the hostile media phenomenon. We assume that these theoretical concepts could help to understand the influence of media on people’s levels of attachment to the EU. Regression analyses are performed on secondary data that were collected in a Eurobarometer survey in 2013. Our findings revealed that media exposure affected the respondents’ identification with Europe, as well as the modifications of this effect based on their assessments of EU media coverage. The results of the current study not only validate assumptions about the mere-exposure effects on identity but also confirm the theoretical assumption that perceived hostility reduces such effects, whereas exposure to information that is perceived as neutral promotes the effects of media exposure on the feeling of European identity.

  11. Understanding Arthritis Promoting Healthy Lifestyles for Older Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tremethick, Mary Jane; Hogan, Patricia I.; Coleman, Barb; Adams, Kady

    2010-01-01

    One of the goals of "Healthy People 2010" is to decrease the incidence of limitation in physical activity due to arthritis. Physical education, recreation, and dance professionals can play an important role in meeting this objective by addressing barriers to physical activity and exercise in older adults with arthritis, and by successfully…

  12. Empirical analysis of internal social media and product innovation: Focusing on SNS and social capital

    OpenAIRE

    Idota, Hiroki; Minetaki, Kazunori; Bunno, Teruyuki; Tsuji, Masatsugu

    2011-01-01

    Recently social media such as Blog and SNS has been introducing by many firms for means of sharing information inside the firm, in particular to promote product and process innovation. This paper attempts to examine the relationship between social media and product innovation, and research questions are summarized as follows: (i) whether social capital influences the use of social media; (ii) whether social media promotes product innovation; and (iii) whether the effect of social media on pro...

  13. Designing and Testing an Inventory for Measuring Social Media Competency of Certified Health Education Specialists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alber, Julia M; Bernhardt, Jay M; Stellefson, Michael; Weiler, Robert M; Anderson-Lewis, Charkarra; Miller, M David; MacInnes, Jann

    2015-09-23

    Social media can promote healthy behaviors by facilitating engagement and collaboration among health professionals and the public. Thus, social media is quickly becoming a vital tool for health promotion. While guidelines and trainings exist for public health professionals, there are currently no standardized measures to assess individual social media competency among Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES). The aim of this study was to design, develop, and test the Social Media Competency Inventory (SMCI) for CHES and MCHES. The SMCI was designed in three sequential phases: (1) Conceptualization and Domain Specifications, (2) Item Development, and (3) Inventory Testing and Finalization. Phase 1 consisted of a literature review, concept operationalization, and expert reviews. Phase 2 involved an expert panel (n=4) review, think-aloud sessions with a small representative sample of CHES/MCHES (n=10), a pilot test (n=36), and classical test theory analyses to develop the initial version of the SMCI. Phase 3 included a field test of the SMCI with a random sample of CHES and MCHES (n=353), factor and Rasch analyses, and development of SMCI administration and interpretation guidelines. Six constructs adapted from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the integrated behavioral model were identified for assessing social media competency: (1) Social Media Self-Efficacy, (2) Social Media Experience, (3) Effort Expectancy, (4) Performance Expectancy, (5) Facilitating Conditions, and (6) Social Influence. The initial item pool included 148 items. After the pilot test, 16 items were removed or revised because of low item discrimination (r.90), or based on feedback received from pilot participants. During the psychometric analysis of the field test data, 52 items were removed due to low discrimination, evidence of content redundancy, low R-squared value, or poor item infit or outfit

  14. An Exploratory Study of Gambling Operators' Use of Social Media and the Latent Messages Conveyed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gainsbury, Sally M; Delfabbro, Paul; King, Daniel L; Hing, Nerilee

    2016-03-01

    Advertisements for gambling products have historically been restricted due to their potential to normalize gambling and contribute to excessive gambling behaviours among vulnerable populations. However, social media enables gambling operators to promote products and brands with fewer constraints than in traditional forms of media. This study investigated how social media is used by gambling operators to promote gambling activities including an analysis of the latent messages that are conveyed. A representative sample of major land-based and online gambling venues and operators, including casinos, clubs, hotels, lottery and wagering operators (n = 101), was obtained. Websites and social media profiles of gambling operators were audited to investigate the types of social media used, content of promotions, and prevalence of responsible gambling messaging. The results showed that Facebook and Twitter were the dominant platforms used, most commonly by casinos and online wagering operators. A key finding was that online gambling operators included gambling content in conjunction with related news and events, as well as unrelated content, as way of normalizing gambling within a broader social context. Unlike land-based gambling promotions, responsible gambling information tended not to feature in operators' posts and profiles. The key messages propagated in social media gambling promotions were positively framed, and tended to encourage gambling using a range of cross-promotional tactics to emphasize the winning aspect of gambling. The implications of freely accessible and pervasive gambling promotions via social media are discussed with respect to the general community as well as vulnerable populations.

  15. Healthy Gaming – Video Game Design to promote Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brox, E.; Fernandez-Luque, L.; Tøllefsen, T.

    2011-01-01

    Background There is an increasing interest in health games including simulation tools, games for specific conditions, persuasive games to promote a healthy life style or exergames where physical exercise is used to control the game. Objective The objective of the article is to review current literature about available health games and the impact related to game design principles as well as some educational theory aspects. Methods Literature from the big databases and known sites with games for health has been searched to find articles about games for health purposes. The focus has been on educational games, persuasive games and exergames as well as articles describing game design principles. Results The medical objectives can either be a part of the game theme (intrinsic) or be totally dispatched (extrinsic), and particularly persuasive games seem to use extrinsic game design. Peer support is important, but there is only limited research on multiplayer health games. Evaluation of health games can be both medical and technical, and the focus will depend on the game purpose. Conclusion There is still not enough evidence to conclude which design principles work for what purposes since most of the literature in health serious games does not specify design methodologies, but it seems that extrinsic methods work in persuasion. However, when designing health care games it is important to define both the target group and main objective, and then design a game accordingly using sound game design principles, but also utilizing design elements to enhance learning and persuasion. A collaboration with health professionals from an early design stage is necessary both to ensure that the content is valid and to have the game validated from a clinical viewpoint. Patients need to be involved, especially to improve usability. More research should be done on social aspects in health games, both related to learning and persuasion. PMID:23616865

  16. Effectiveness of a Multifaceted Community-Based Promotion Strategy on Use of GetHealthyHarlem.org, a Local Community Health Education Website.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Michelle; Mateo, Katrina F; Morita, Haruka; Hutchinson, Carly; Cohall, Alwyn T

    2015-07-01

    The use of health communication extends beyond simply promoting or disseminating a particular product or proposed behavior change; it involves the systematic and strategic integration and execution of evidence-based, theory-driven, and community engagement strategies. Much like in public health intervention design based on health behavior theory, health communication seeks to encourage the target audience to make a positive behavior change through core concepts such as understanding and specifying the target audience, tailoring messages based on audience segmentation, and continually conducting evaluation of specific and overarching goals. While our first article "Development of a Culturally Relevant Consumer Health Information Website for Harlem, New York" focused on the design, development, and initial implementation of GetHealthyHarlem.org between 2004 and 2009, this article delves into the process of promoting the website to increase its use and then evaluating use among website visitors. Just as for the development of the website, we used community-based participatory research methods, health behavior theory, and health communication strategies to systemically develop and execute a health communication plan with the goals of increasing awareness of GetHealthyHarlem.org in Harlem, driving online traffic, and having the community recognize it as a respected community resource dedicated to improving health in Harlem. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

  17. Mobile Health Applications to Promote Active and Healthy Ageing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helbostad, Jorunn L; Vereijken, Beatrix; Becker, Clemens; Todd, Chris; Taraldsen, Kristin; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Aminian, Kamiar; Mellone, Sabato

    2017-03-18

    The European population is ageing, and there is a need for health solutions that keep older adults independent longer. With increasing access to mobile technology, such as smartphones and smartwatches, the development and use of mobile health applications is rapidly growing. To meet the societal challenge of changing demography, mobile health solutions are warranted that support older adults to stay healthy and active and that can prevent or delay functional decline. This paper reviews the literature on mobile technology, in particular wearable technology, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and wristbands, presenting new ideas on how this technology can be used to encourage an active lifestyle, and discusses the way forward in order further to advance development and practice in the field of mobile technology for active, healthy ageing.

  18. SaludABLEOmaha: improving readiness to address obesity through healthy lifestyle in a Midwestern Latino community, 2011-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frerichs, Leah; Brittin, Jeri; Robbins, Regina; Steenson, Sharalyn; Stewart, Catherine; Fisher, Christopher; Huang, Terry T-K

    2015-02-12

    A community's readiness for change is a precursor to the effective application of evidence-based practices for health promotion. Research is lacking regarding potential strategies to improve readiness to address obesity-related health issues in underserved communities. This case study describes SaludABLEOmaha, an initiative to increase readiness of residents in a Midwestern Latino community to address obesity and adopt healthy lifestyles. SaludABLEOmaha emphasized 2 core approaches, youth activism and collaboration among public and private institutions, which we applied to planning and implementing tactics in support of 3 interconnected strategies: 1) social marketing and social media, 2) service learning in schools (ie, curricula that integrate hands-on community service with instruction and reflection), and 3) community and business engagement. Following the Community Readiness Model protocol (http://triethniccenter.colostate.edu/communityReadiness.htm), structured interviews were conducted with community leaders and analyzed before and 2.5 years after launch of the program. The community increased in readiness from stage 3 of the Community Readiness Model, "vague awareness," at baseline to stage 5, "preparation," at follow-up. SaludABLEOmaha improved community readiness (eg, community knowledge, community climate), which probably contributed to the observed increase in readiness to address obesity through healthy lifestyle. Community mobilization approaches such as youth activism integrated with social marketing and social media tactics can improve community responsiveness to obesity prevention and diminish health disparities.

  19. Interventions to promote healthy eating habits

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Traill, W. B.; Shankar, B.; Branbila-Macias, J.

    2010-01-01

    Although in several EU Member States many public interventions have been running for the prevention and/or management of obesity and other nutritionrelated health conditions, few have yet been formally evaluated. The multidisciplinary team of the EATWELL project will gather benchmark data...... on healthy eating interventions in EU Member States and review existing information on the effectiveness of interventions using a three-stage procedure (i) Assessment of the intervention's impact on consumer attitudes, consumer behaviour and diets; (ii) The impact of the change in diets on obesity and health...... and (iii) The value attached by society to these changes, measured in life years gained, cost savings and quality-adjusted life years. Where evaluations have been inadequate, EATWELL will gather secondary data and analyse them with a multidisciplinary approach incorporating models from the psychology...

  20. Perspectives on healthy aging among Thai elderly: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thanakwang, Kattika; Soonthorndhada, Kusol; Mongkolprasoet, Jiraporn

    2012-12-01

    In this qualitative study, we provide an in-depth understanding of the views of healthy aging among Thai elderly and explore the ways that contribute to healthy aging. Data were collected using focus groups and in-depth interviews in four selected provinces of Thailand, and were analyzed using content analysis. The results revealed that Thai elderly described being healthy as the result of multiple components involving physical, mental, and social well-being. Healthy aging was viewed as an absence of serious diseases, having functional independence, a positive psycho-emotional outlook, and making a social contribution. The factors considered to contribute to healthy aging included activities promoting physical and psychological health, as well as active engagement in social activities. Understanding how the elderly define healthy aging and identifying the most important components and factors that contribute to being healthy provides insight into possible policy implications and interventions to promote health and well-being among Thai elderly. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  1. Development of an educational intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity in Mexican school-age children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amaya-Castellanos, Claudia; Shamah-Levy, Teresa; Escalante-Izeta, Ericka; Morales-Ruán, María Del Carmen; Jiménez-Aguilar, Alejandra; Salazar-Coronel, Araceli; Uribe-Carvajal, Rebeca; Amaya-Castellanos, Alejandra

    2015-10-01

    Mexico has the highest and most alarming rates of childhood obesity worldwide. A study conducted in the State of Mexico revealed that one of every three children presents overweight or obesity. The objective of this paper is to provide a step-by-step description of the design and implementation of an educational intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity called "Healthy Recess". The educational intervention was designed using the six stages of the Health Communication Process. This methodological model allowed identifying the needs of school-age children on information and participation in activities. In order to improve the strategy, adjustments were made to the print and audiovisual materials as well as to assessment tools. Typography was modified as well as the color of the images in student's workbook and facilitator's; special effects of the videos were increased; the narration of the radio spots was improved and common words and phrases were included. The Health Communication Process is an effective tool for program planners to design interventions aimed at managing prevalent health problems such as overweight and obesity in school-age children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Promotion of a healthy work life at small enterprises in Thailand by participatory methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krungkraiwong, Sudthida; Itani, Toru; Amornratanapaichit, Ratanaporn

    2006-01-01

    The major problems of small enterprises include unfavourable working conditions and environment that affect safety and health of workers. The WISE (Work Improvement in Small Enterprises) methodology developed by the ILO has been widely applied to improve occupational safety and health in small enterprises in Thailand. The participatory methods building on local good practices and focusing on practicable improvements have proven effective in controlling the occupational hazards in these enterprises at their sources. As a result of applying the methods in small-scale industries, the frequency of occupational accidents was reduced and the working environment actually improved in the cases studied. The results prove that the participatory approach taken by the WISE activities is a useful and effective tool to make owner/managers and workers in small enterprises voluntarily improve their own working conditions and environment. In promoting a healthy work life at small enterprises in Thailand, it is important to further develop and spread the approach.

  3. Intervention Effects of a School-Based Health Promotion Programme on Obesity Related Behavioural Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susanne Kobel

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Studies have shown preventive effects of an active lifestyle during childhood on later life; therefore, health promotion has to start early. The programme “Join the Healthy Boat” promotes a healthy lifestyle in primary school children. In order to evaluate it, children’s behaviours in respect of increased physical activity (PA, a decrease in screen media use (SMU, more regular breakfast, and a reduction of the consumption of soft drinks (SDC were investigated. 1943 children (7.1 ± 0.6 years participated in the cluster-randomised study and were assessed at baseline and 1736 of them at follow-up. Teachers delivered lessons, which included behavioural contracting and budgeting of SMU and SDC. Daily SMU, PA behaviours, SDC, and breakfast patterns were assessed via parental questionnaire. After one-year intervention, significant effects were found in the intervention group for SMU of girls, children without migration background, and children with parents having a low education level. In the control group, second grade children skipped breakfast significantly more often. Tendencies but no significant differences were found for PA and SDC. This intervention seems to affect groups, which are usually hard to reach, such as children of parents with low education levels, which shows that active parental involvement is vital for successful interventions.

  4. Utility-driven evidence for healthy cities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Leeuw, Evelyne; Skovgaard, Thomas

    2005-01-01

    The question whether the WHO Healthy Cities project 'works' has been asked ever since a number of novel ideas and actions related to community health, health promotion and healthy public policy in the mid 1980s came together in the Healthy Cities Movement initiated by the World Health Organization....... The question, however, has become more urgent since we have entered an era in which the drive for 'evidence' seems all-pervasive. The article explores the nature of evidence, review available evidence on Healthy Cities accomplishments, and discusses whether enough evidence has been accumulated on different...... performances within the realm of Healthy Cities. A main point of reference is the European Healthy Cities Project (E-HCP). Building on the information gathered through documentary research on the topic, it is concluded that there is fair evidence that Healthy Cities works. However, the future holds great...

  5. The Influence of advertising media on brand awareness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivana S. Domazet

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available In modern business conditions, the company sends its promotional message through various instruments of promotion, and therefore the different media. One of the instruments of promotion is economic propaganda (advertising, which uses a number of media such as television, radio, newspapers, billboards, Internet and others. By using various media, the company affects the consumer awareness of the brand, spreads information about themselves and the brand, educates consumers, creates a brand image and the like. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of different media of advertising on consumer awareness of the brand, as well as to investigate that influence in the context of socio-demographic characteristics of respondents. The methods used in the work are historical and research (field and online methods and include a total of 690 respondents from Serbia in the period February-April 2017. For data analysis, we used the independent-samples t-test and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The results showed that television has the strongest impact on brand awareness. The Internet and billboards follow, while the weakest effect is that of newspapers and radio. Results show that in the context of gender, age, education and income of respondents, there are reasons to analyze the impact of television, radio, newspapers, billboards and the Internet to consumer awareness of the brand in a different manner. The contribution of the thesis is also reflected in the fact that, on the basis of the obtained results, the authors give recommendations, when it comes to perception and brand awareness, on the media that are an adequate promotional instrument for a particular segment of consumers.

  6. Social media networking: Facebook and Twitter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Andrew; Jackson, Rem; Baum, Neil

    2010-01-01

    The new wave of marketing and practice promotion will include social media networking. This article will discuss Facebook and Twitter. After reading this article you, will have an understanding of these two important aspects of social media and how you might use Facebook and Twitter in your practice to enhance your communication with your existing patients and attract new patients.

  7. Empathy, social media, and directed altruistic living organ donation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moorlock, Greg; Draper, Heather

    2018-06-01

    In this article we explore some of the ethical dimensions of using social media to increase the number of living kidney donors. Social media provides a platform for changing non-identifiable 'statistical victims' into 'real people' with whom we can identify and feel empathy: the so-called 'identifiable victim effect', which prompts charitable action. We examine three approaches to promoting kidney donation using social media which could take advantages of the identifiable victim effect: (a) institutionally organized campaigns based on historical cases aimed at promoting non-directed altruistic donation; (b) personal case-based campaigns organized by individuals aimed at promoting themselves/or someone with whom they are in a relationship as a recipient of directed donation; (c) institutionally organized personal case-based campaigns aimed at promoting specific recipients for directed donation. We will highlight the key ethical issues raised by these approaches, and will argue that the third option, despite raising ethical concerns, is preferable to the other two. © 2018 The Authors Bioethics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Capitalizing on Social Media for Career Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escoffery, Cam; Kenzig, Melissa; Hyden, Christel; Hernandez, Kristen

    2018-01-01

    Social media is powerful and has effective tools for career advancement. Health promotion professionals at all stages of their career can employ social media to develop their profile, network with a range of colleagues, and learn about jobs and other career-enhancing opportunities. This article focuses on several social media resources, describes their key functions for career development, and offers strategies for effective use. Steps in using social media include creating a personal profile, sharing products such as newsletters or publications, and locating volunteer and job opportunities. Learning skills to use social media effectively is important to advancing careers and to the expansion of the public health workforce.

  9. Replication of type 5 adenovirus promotes middle ear infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae in the chinchilla model of otitis media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murrah, Kyle A.; Turner, Roberta L.; Pang, Bing; Perez, Antonia C.; Reimche, Jennifer L.; King, Lauren B.; Wren, John; Gandhi, Uma; Swords, W. Edward; Ornelles, David A.

    2015-01-01

    Adenoviral infection is a major risk factor for otitis media. We hypothesized that adenovirus promotes bacterial ascension into the middle ear through the disruption of normal function in the Eustachian tubes due to inflammation-induced changes. An intranasal infection model of the chinchilla was used to test the ability of type 5 adenovirus to promote middle ear infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The hyperinflammatory adenovirus mutant dl327 and the nonreplicating adenovirus mutant H5wt300ΔpTP were used to test the role of inflammation and viral replication, respectively, in promotion of pneumococcal middle ear infection. Precedent infection with adenovirus resulted in a significantly greater incidence of middle ear disease by S. pneumoniae as compared to nonadenovirus infected animals. Infection with the adenovirus mutant dl327 induced a comparable degree of bacterial ascension into the middle ear as did infection with the wild-type virus. By contrast, infection with the nonreplicating adenovirus mutant H5wt300ΔpTP resulted in less extensive middle ear infection compared to the wild-type adenovirus. We conclude that viral replication is necessary for adenoviral-induced pneumococcal middle ear disease. PMID:25251686

  10. Advocates' Experiences With Media and the Impact of Media on Human Trafficking Advocacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houston-Kolnik, Jaclyn D; Soibatian, Christina; Shattell, Mona M

    2017-02-01

    The present qualitative study explores advocates' opinions of misinformation about human trafficking in the media and describes advocates' strategies to counter the misinformation presented by the media. Thus, 15 advocates who work against human trafficking in Chicago-based nonprofit organizations participated in semistructured interviews about their opinions and strategies. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The present study identifies specific misperceptions of human trafficking in the media, highlights advocates' opinions of this misinformation, and discusses advocates' strategies to counteract inaccurate media, adding support to the role of media advocacy. Advocates note how media images shape and perpetuate stereotypes of trafficking through glamorizing sex work and sensationalizing stories that are most often international depictions of trafficking. Advocates report media generally shares only a piece of the story, simplifying the stories of survivors and the issue of human trafficking. Advocates critique media perpetuating these misperceptions for how they may contribute to policies and programs which fail to address structural factors that create vulnerabilities to be trafficked and the multisystem needs of survivors. However, advocates also note misperceptions can be counteracted by producing sensitive, informed media through social platforms. Advocates share their strategies counteracting misinformation through engaging in informative conversations, utilizing social media to educate, and promoting media messages of survivor agency. Research, clinical, and policy implications are also discussed. The present study emphasizes the importance of decision makers and service providers being critical consumers of media and to assess how media portrayals may (or may not) inform their understanding and response to the issue.

  11. Older Australian's Motivation for University Enrollment and Their Perception of the Role of Tertiary Education in Promoting Healthy Aging: A National Cross-Sectional Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brownie, Sonya

    2014-01-01

    The aims of this study were to describe the characteristics of older Australian university students (aged 60+ years); to identify the factors that motivate late-life, tertiary-level learning; and to capture older students' views about the role of tertiary-level learning in promoting healthy aging. In 2012, an invitation to participate in the study…

  12. Identifying New Strategies to Assess and Promote Online Health Communication and Social Media Outreach: An Application in Bullying Prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edgerton, Elizabeth; Reiney, Erin; Mueller, Siobhan; Reicherter, Barry; Curtis, Katherine; Waties, Stephanie; Limber, Susan P

    2016-05-01

    Every day in classrooms, playgrounds and school hallways, through text messages and mobile technology apps, children are bullied by other children. Conversations about this bullying-what it is, who is involved, and how to stop it-are taking place online. To fill a need for relevant, research-based materials on bullying, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration worked with Widmeyer Communications to investigate the scope of media conversations about bullying and discover new strategies for promoting appropriate public health messages about bullying to intended audiences. Key components of the methodology included: analyzing common search terms and aligning social media content with terms used in searches rather than technical language; identifying influencers in social media spheres, cultivating relationships with them, and sharing their positive, relevant content; examining which digital formats are most popular for sharing and creating content across platforms; tracking and reporting on a wide variety of metrics (such as click-through and engagement rates and reach, resonance, relevance, and Klout scores) to understand conversations around bullying; and looking at online conversations and engaging participants using applicable resources and calls to action. A key finding included a significant gap between search terms and online content and has led to recommendations and comprehensive ideas for improving the reach and resonance of StopBullying.gov content and communications. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

  13. Using social media to deliver weight loss programming to young adults: Design and rationale for the Healthy Body Healthy U (HBHU) trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napolitano, Melissa A; Whiteley, Jessica A; Mavredes, Meghan N; Faro, Jamie; DiPietro, Loretta; Hayman, Laura L; Neighbors, Charles J; Simmens, Samuel

    2017-09-01

    The transitional period from late adolescence to early adulthood is a vulnerable period for weight gain, with a twofold increase in overweight/obesity during this life transition. In the United States, approximately one-third of young adults have obesity and are at a high risk for weight gain. To describe the design and rationale of a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) sponsored randomized, controlled clinical trial, the Healthy Body Healthy U (HBHU) study, which compares the differential efficacy of three interventions on weight loss among young adults aged 18-35years. The intervention is delivered via Facebook and SMS Text Messaging (text messaging) and includes: 1) targeted content (Targeted); 2) tailored or personalized feedback (Tailored); or 3) contact control (Control). Recruitment is on-going at two campus sites, with the intervention delivery conducted by the parent site. A total of 450 students will be randomly-assigned to receive one of three programs for 18months. We hypothesize that: a) the Tailored group will lose significantly more weight at the 6, 12, 18month follow-ups compared with the Targeted group; and that b) both the Tailored and Targeted groups will have greater weight loss at the 6, 12, 18month follow-ups than the Control group. We also hypothesize that participants who achieve a 5% weight loss at 6 and 18months will have greater improvements in their cardiometabolic risk factors than those who do not achieve this target. We will examine intervention costs to inform implementation and sustainability other universities. Expected study completion date is 2019. This project has significant public health impact, as the successful translation could reach as many as 20 million university students each year, and change the current standard of practice for promoting weight management within university campus communities. ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT02342912. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Design Of the Approximation Function of a Pedometer based on Artificial Neural Network for the Healthy Life Style Promotion in Diabetic Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Vega Corona, Antonio; Zárate Banda, Magdalena; Barron Adame, Jose Miguel; Martínez Celorio, René Alfredo; Andina de la Fuente, Diego

    2008-01-01

    The present study describes the design of an Artificial Neural Network to synthesize the Approximation Function of a Pedometer for the Healthy Life Style Promotion. Experimentally, the approximation function is synthesized using three basic digital pedometers of low cost, these pedometers were calibrated with an advanced pedometer that calculates calories consumed and computes distance travelled with personal stride input. The synthesized approximation function by means of the designed neural...

  15. [Cafeterias service and health promotion in the school context].

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Padilla, Francisca M; González-Rodríguez, Angustias

    2017-05-01

    To assess the Secondary Schools (IES) cafeterias of Andalusia as services to promote healthy eating among students as well as to check the adequacy of the food supply to the Law on Food Security and Spanish Nutrition, and the knowledge of this law by the school managers. Observational descriptive transversal study. IES of Andalusia's eight provinces. Cafeteria services. Stratified random sample with proportional allocation by province and size of habitat of 95 Andalusian IES with+10% error and confidence level (NC) 95.5. Implementation of the Healthy Food Promotion Guide, validated through a Delphi group, which collects information on: the food supply, the location of the food products and the advertising on healthy eating. Structured interview with a member of the management team. In 84.9% of the cafeterias a deficient healthy eating habits promotion is observed. 100% of the cafeterias offer a wide variety of non-recommended products (candy, soda, snack chips, industrial bakery) breaching the provisions of the Law on Food Safety and Nutrition. 33.68% of the interviewees claim to know the existence of this law. Andalusian IES cafeterias do not promote healthy eating. It can be affirmed that the law has had little impact during its first year. It is a priority to introduce measures in conformity with the law and with recent research in order to promote a healthy school environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  16. Social Marketing Campaigns and Children's Media Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, W. Douglas

    2008-01-01

    Media-related commercial marketing aimed at promoting the purchase of products and services by children, and by adults for children, is ubiquitous and has been associated with negative health consequences such as poor nutrition and physical inactivity. But, as Douglas Evans points out, not all marketing in the electronic media is confined to the…

  17. Children's media policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Amy B

    2008-01-01

    Amy Jordan addresses the need to balance the media industry's potentially important contributions to the healthy development of America's children against the consequences of excessive and age-inappropriate media exposure. Much of the philosophical tension regarding how much say the government should have about media content and delivery stems from the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protection against government interference in free speech, including commercial speech. Courts, Jordan says, have repeatedly had to weigh the rights of commercial entities to say what they please against the need to protect vulnerable citizens such as children. This balancing act is complicated even further, she says, because many government regulations apply only to broadcast television and not to non-broadcast media such as the Internet or cable television, though Congress has addressed the need to protect children's privacy online. The need to protect both free speech and children has given rise to a fluid media policy mix of federal mandates and industry self-regulation. Jordan describes the role of the three branches of the federal government in formulating and implementing media policy. She also notes the jockeying for influence in policymaking by industry lobbies, child advocacy groups, and academic researchers. The media industry itself, says Jordan, is spurred to self-regulation when public disapproval grows severe enough to raise the possibility of new government action. Jordan surveys a range of government and industry actions, from legislatively required parental monitoring tools, such as the V-Chip blocking device on television sets, to the voluntary industry ratings systems governing television, movies, and video games, to voluntary social website disclosures to outright government bans, such as indecency and child privacy information collection. She considers the success of these efforts in limiting children's exposure to damaging content and in improving parents

  18. Functional effectiveness of threat appeals in exercise promotion messages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivier Mairesse

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available As more than 70% of individuals in Western societies can be categorized as sedentary and inactivity has been recognized to lead to a series of serious physical and psychological disorders, the importance of physical activity promotion is ever more emphasized. Many social marketing campaigns use threat (or fear appeals to promote healthy behaviors. Theoretical models, such as the Extended Parallel Process Model integrate concepts as 'perceived threat' and 'perceived efficacy' to explain how such messages operate and can cause diverse behavioral reactions. It is however still not entirely clear how these different aspects are valuated and combined to determine desired versus undesired response behaviors in individuals. In a functional integration task, threat-appeal based exercise promotion messages varying in psychological threat and efficacy content were shown to sedentary employees in order to assess how they affect their intention to engage in physical exercise. Our results show that individuals can be categorized in 4 different clusters depending on the way they valuate threat and efficacy appeals: i.e. individuals sensitive to both types of cues, those sensitive to either the threat or the efficacy component in the message and those insensitive to either one of them. As different segments of receivers of the message react differently to threat and efficacy combinations, it is concluded that different approaches to designing effective mass media campaigns may be required for effective exercise promotion.

  19. Exploring women's beliefs and perceptions about healthy eating blogs: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bissonnette-Maheux, Véronique; Provencher, Veronique; Lapointe, Annie; Dugrenier, Marilyn; Dumas, Audrée-Anne; Pluye, Pierre; Straus, Sharon; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Desroches, Sophie

    2015-04-08

    Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death (63%) worldwide. A key behavioral risk factor is unhealthy eating. New strategies must be identified and evaluated to improve dietary habits. Social media, such as blogs, represent a unique opportunity for improving knowledge translation in health care through interactive communication between health consumers and health professionals. Despite the proliferation of food and lifestyle blogs, no research has been devoted to understanding potential blog readers' perceptions of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians. To identify women's salient beliefs and perceptions regarding the use of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians promoting the improvement of their dietary habits. We conducted a qualitative study with female Internet users living in the Quebec City, QC, area with suboptimal dietary habits. First, the women explored 4 existing healthy eating blogs written in French by qualified dietitians. At a focus group 2-4 weeks later, they were asked to discuss their experience and perceptions. Focus group participants were grouped by age (18-34, 35-54, and 55-75 years) and by their use of social media (users/nonusers). Using a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, participants were asked to identify salient beliefs underlying their attitudes (advantages/disadvantages), subjective norms (what people important to them would think), and perceptions of control (facilitators/barriers) regarding the use of a healthy eating blog written by a dietitian to improve dietary habits. Discussion groups were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and a deductive content analysis was performed independently by 2 individuals using the NVivo software (version 10). All participants (N=33) were Caucasian women aged between 22 to 73 year. Main advantages perceived of using healthy eating blogs written by a dietitian were that they provided useful recipe ideas, improved lifestyle, were a credible source of

  20. INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR MEDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nevenka Ronkova

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The analysis of the international legal framework for media in a real structural form is a challenge that needs to be scientifically proven because of the exceptional role of media in general and its constant and substantial impact on the democratic processes taking place in the world. If we analyze media through the eyes of history, we cannot ignore the impression of the exceptional importance of freedom of expression as the source and promoter of many substantive changes and valuable components in the overall functioning of social and political settings. In this regard, special attention is given to the impact of media on contemporary trends related to the EU integration process, the development of democracy and the rule of law. It particularly emphasizes the freedom of expression, respect for values and standards principles, human rights and freedoms. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the international legal framework for the media and to show the determination of the most important covenants which represent a source of media law containing rules for the creation and implementation of media freedom, the expressive quality of ideas and definitely and inevitably this paper stresses the power of the media.

  1. A healthy school start - Parental support to promote healthy dietary habits and physical activity in children: Design and evaluation of a cluster-randomised intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elinder Liselotte

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Childhood obesity is multi-factorial and determined to a large extent by dietary habits, physical activity and sedentary behaviours. Previous research has shown that school-based programmes are effective but that their effectiveness can be improved by including a parental component. At present, there is a lack of effective parental support programmes for improvement of diet and physical activity and prevention of obesity in children. Methods/Design This paper describes the rationale and design of a parental support programme to promote healthy dietary habits and physical activity in six-year-old children starting school. The study is performed in close collaboration with the school health care and is designed as a cluster-randomised controlled trial with a mixed methods approach. In total, 14 pre-school classes are included from a municipality in Stockholm county where there is large variation in socio-economic status between the families. The school classes are randomised to intervention (n = 7 and control (n = 7 groups including a total of 242 children. The intervention is based on social cognitive theory and consists of three main components: 1 a health information brochure; 2 two motivational interviewing sessions with the parents; and 3 teacher-led classroom activities with the children. The primary outcomes are physical activity in the children measured objectively by accelerometry, children's dietary and physical activity habits measured with a parent-proxy questionnaire and parents' self-efficacy measured by a questionnaire. Secondary outcomes are height, weight and waist circumference in the children. The duration of the intervention is six months and includes baseline, post intervention and six months follow-up measurements. Linear and logistic regression models will be used to analyse differences between intervention and control groups in the outcome variables. Mediator and moderator analysis will be performed

  2. Promoting fit bodies, healthy eating and physical activity among Indigenous Australian men: a study protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricciardelli Lina A

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Overall the physical health of Indigenous men is among the worst in Australia. Research has indicated that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as poor nutrition and physical inactivity, appear to contribute strongly to these poor health conditions. To effectively develop and implement strategies to improve the health of Australia's Indigenous peoples, a greater understanding is needed of how Indigenous men perceive health, and how they view and care for their bodies. Further, a more systematic understanding of how sociocultural factors affect their health attitudes and behaviours is needed. This article presents the study protocol of a community-based investigation into the factors surrounding the health and body image of Indigenous Australian men. Methods and design The study will be conducted in a collaborative manner with Indigenous Australian men using a participatory action research framework. Men will be recruited from three locations around Australia (metropolitan, regional, and rural and interviewed to understand their experiences and perspectives on a number of issues related to health and health behaviour. The information that is collected will be analysed using modified grounded theory and thematic analysis. The results will then be used to develop and implement community events in each location to provide feedback on the findings to the community, promote health enhancing strategies, and determine future action and collaboration. Discussion This study will explore both risk and protective factors that affect the health of Indigenous Australian men. This knowledge will be disseminated to the wider Indigenous community and can be used to inform future health promotion strategies. The expected outcome of this study is therefore an increased understanding of health and health change in Indigenous Australian men, the development of strategies that promote healthy eating and positive patterns of physical activity and, in

  3. HEALTH EDUCATION TO PROMOTE HEALTHY AGING WITH ELDERLY PATIENTS AT A REFERRAL CENTER FOR SOCIAL ASSISTANCE (CRAS IN SINOP-MT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. O. Iori

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Nursing care for the elderly should aim to promote elderly health and reduction of foreseeable risk factors, as well as value and institute measures to the greatest possible degree of autonomy and independence in the elderly in relation to his life and especially about his Cheers. With this view, we carried out a study with 16 members aged from Linkages Strengthening Group of a Social Assistance Reference Center (CRAS, the municipality of Sinop - MT, to enhance understanding of the elderly as the promotion of health through education about risk and protective factors of the most common diseases and health problems among the elderly. We used the action research as a methodological reasons, because this means turning the subject both at the level of thought and in action. The results of this research showed a female predominance in the participation of older age groups, increased participation of older widows with education of 01 years to 04 years. The perception of the elderly as the educational activity performed was satisfactory, reporting that the dynamics of the talks were good, important and promoted new information. It was also found through most of the elderly respondents reported the need for health education activities for this audience. It is concluded that the elderly incorporated into their daily health promotion measures learned in the educational activity, with improvements in quality of life. As well, the need to implement more health education programs for the elderly aimed at promoting healthy aging.

  4. Evaluation of the Mental Healthiness Aging Initiative: community program to promote awareness about mental health and aging issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanjani, Faika; Kruger, Tina; Murray, Deborah

    2012-04-01

    The objective of this study is to evaluate the Mental Healthiness Aging Initiative, designed to promote community awareness and knowledge about mental health and aging issues. This study occurred during 2007-2009 in 67 of 120 counties in Kentucky. A rural region (11 counties) received the intervention, consisting of focus groups, Extension Agent training, and television-based social marketing campaign. Partial-intervention counties (29 counties) received only the television-based social marketing campaign. The control counties (27 counties) received no intervention activities. Results indicated that the intervention counties agreed more with being able to assist elder adults with a potential mental illness. Also, the intervention counties understood the risk of consuming alcohol and medications better, but had a poorer recognition of drinking problems in elder adults. These findings need to be considered within study limitations, such as measurement error, degree of intervention exposure, and regional differences across intervention groups. The study demonstrates that community interventions on mental health awareness and knowledge are feasible within majority rural regions, with Extension Agents being gatekeepers, for promoting positive messages about mental health and aging issues.

  5. Do universal media literacy programs have an effect on weight and shape concern by influencing media internalization?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wade, Tracey D; Wilksch, Simon M; Paxton, Susan J; Byrne, Susan M; Austin, S Bryn

    2017-07-01

    The current study examined whether media internalization, found to mediate the relationship between selected prevention programs and outcomes, mediated the impact of two universal prevention programs that targeted risk factors for eating disorders and obesity, namely weight concern, and shape concern. Students randomized to a media literacy (Media Smart) program (N = 269, 65% females, mean age 12.97 years) and a healthy lifestyle (Life Smart) program (N = 347, 69% females, mean age 13.07 years) were included in the analyses. There were four waves of data (baseline, end of intervention, 6- and 12-month follow-up). Latent growth curve modeling was used to explore whether group assignment influenced levels of media internalization, and whether that in turn influenced change over time of our two outcome variables. Being randomly allocated to Media Smart as opposed to Life Smart resulted in less growth of both outcome variables through the influence on decreasing levels of media internalization. Findings provided support for the suggestion that media literacy programs exert an impact on outcomes related to eating disorder risk through changes to media internalization. Future research should examine whether these mechanisms of change differ between girls and boys. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Exposure to and engagement with gambling marketing in social media: Reported impacts on moderate-risk and problem gamblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gainsbury, Sally M; King, Daniel L; Russell, Alex M T; Delfabbro, Paul; Derevensky, Jeffrey; Hing, Nerilee

    2016-03-01

    Digital advertising for gambling and specifically marketing via social media have increased in recent years, and the impact on vulnerable consumers, including moderate-risk and problem gamblers, is unknown. Social media promotions often fall outside of advertising restrictions and codes of conduct and may have an inequitable effect on susceptible gamblers. This study aimed to investigate recall of exposure to, and reported impact on gamblers of, gambling promotions and marketing content on social media, with a focus on vulnerable users currently experiencing gambling problems. Gamblers who use social media (N = 964) completed an online survey assessing their exposure to and engagement with gambling operators on social media, their problem gambling severity, and the impact of social media promotions on their gambling. Gamblers at moderate risk and problem gamblers were significantly more likely to report having been exposed to social media gambling promotions and indicated actively engaging with gambling operators via these platforms. They were more likely to self-report that they had increased gambling as a result of these promotions, and over one third reported that the promotions had increased their problems. This research suggests that gamblers at moderate risk or those experiencing gambling problems are more likely to be impacted by social media promotions, and these may play a role in exacerbating disordered gambling. Future research should verify these self-reported results with behavioral data. However, the potential influence of advertisements via these new platforms should be considered by clinicians and policymakers, given their potential role in the formation of this behavioral addiction. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. The Healthy Aging Research Network: Modeling Collaboration for Community Impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belza, Basia; Altpeter, Mary; Smith, Matthew Lee; Ory, Marcia G

    2017-03-01

    As the first Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prevention Research Centers Program thematic network, the Healthy Aging Research Network was established to better understand the determinants of healthy aging within older adult populations, identify interventions that promote healthy aging, and assist in translating research into sustainable community-based programs throughout the nation. To achieve these goals requires concerted efforts of a collaborative network of academic, community, and public health organizational partnerships. For the 2001-2014 Prevention Research Center funding cycles, the Healthy Aging Research Network conducted prevention research and promoted the wide use of practices known to foster optimal health. Organized around components necessary for successful collaborations (i.e., governance and infrastructure, shaping focus, community involvement, and evaluation and improvement), this commentary highlights exemplars that demonstrate the Healthy Aging Research Network's unique contributions to the field. The Healthy Aging Research Network's collaboration provided a means to collectively build capacity for practice and policy, reduce fragmentation and duplication in health promotion and aging research efforts, maximize the efficient use of existing resources and generate additional resources, and ultimately, create synergies for advancing the healthy aging agenda. This collaborative model was built upon a backbone organization (coordinating center); setting of common agendas and mutually reinforcing activities; and continuous communications. Given its successes, the Healthy Aging Research Network model could be used to create new and evaluate existing thematic networks to guide the translation of research into policy and practice. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin; Clarke-Pearson, Kathleen

    2011-04-01

    Using social media Web sites is among the most common activity of today's children and adolescents. Any Web site that allows social interaction is considered a social media site, including social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter; gaming sites and virtual worlds such as Club Penguin, Second Life, and the Sims; video sites such as YouTube; and blogs. Such sites offer today's youth a portal for entertainment and communication and have grown exponentially in recent years. For this reason, it is important that parents become aware of the nature of social media sites, given that not all of them are healthy environments for children and adolescents. Pediatricians are in a unique position to help families understand these sites and to encourage healthy use and urge parents to monitor for potential problems with cyberbullying, "Facebook depression," sexting, and exposure to inappropriate content.

  9. The Takeoff of Social Media in Tourism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hvass, Kristian Anders; Munar, Ana Maria

    2012-01-01

    Over the years, online marketing has grown in importance in the tourism industry. This media space offers companies throughout the tourism value system numerous marketing tools, one of the most recent being social media. Social media allows companies to interact directly with customers via various...... Internet platforms and monitor and interact with customer opinions and evaluations of services. This exploratory article studies the travel portion of the tourism experience through airlines’ use of social media on two social media platforms for a 6-month time period. The social media content posted...... by airlines is analyzed and categorized according to the promotional marketing mix. In addition, the authors propose four categories to describe the overall communicative behavior. Among the results, it is shown that there is a lack of strategic perspective among airlines’ utilization of social media...

  10. Media Use and the Cancer Communication Strategies of Cancer Survivors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Heesoo; Sohn, Minsung; Jung, Minsoo

    2016-01-01

    Communication related to health not only substantially affects perceptions and behaviors related to health but is also positively associated with the extent of health-information seeking and the practice of preventive behavior. Despite the fact that the number of cancer survivors has increased dramatically, there are few studies of the lack of health information, factors which act as barriers, and the difficulties in follow-up care experienced by cancer survivors. Therefore, we reviewed media utilization and the types of media used by cancer survivors with regard to risk communication and suggested appropriate strategies for cancer communication. According to the results, health communication contributed to health promotion by providing health-related information, consolidating social support factors such as social solidarity and trust, and reducing anxiety. In particular, participatory health communication may establish preventive programs which reflect the needs of communities, expand accessibility to better quality healthcare, and intensify healthy living by reducing health inequalities. Therefore, when people do not have an intention to obtain cancer screening, we need to intervene to change their behavior, norms, and degrees of self-efficacy. The findings of this study may help those involved in building partnerships by assisting in their efforts to understand and communicate with the public. PMID:27722138

  11. Media Use and the Cancer Communication Strategies of Cancer Survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Heesoo; Sohn, Minsung; Jung, Minsoo

    2016-09-01

    Communication related to health not only substantially affects perceptions and behaviors related to health but is also positively associated with the extent of health-information seeking and the practice of preventive behavior. Despite the fact that the number of cancer survivors has increased dramatically, there are few studies of the lack of health information, factors which act as barriers, and the difficulties in follow-up care experienced by cancer survivors. Therefore, we reviewed media utilization and the types of media used by cancer survivors with regard to risk communication and suggested appropriate strategies for cancer communication. According to the results, health communication contributed to health promotion by providing health-related information, consolidating social support factors such as social solidarity and trust, and reducing anxiety. In particular, participatory health communication may establish preventive programs which reflect the needs of communities, expand accessibility to better quality healthcare, and intensify healthy living by reducing health inequalities. Therefore, when people do not have an intention to obtain cancer screening, we need to intervene to change their behavior, norms, and degrees of self-efficacy. The findings of this study may help those involved in building partnerships by assisting in their efforts to understand and communicate with the public.

  12. Role of the media in influencing trajectories of youth smoking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakefield, Melanie; Flay, Brian; Nichter, Mark; Giovino, Gary

    2003-05-01

    This paper summarizes results of empirical studies on cigarette advertising and promotions, antismoking advertising, product placement in movies, on television and in music media and news coverage about smoking. In addition, we provide an overview of some of the theoretical literature relevant to the study of media uses and effects. Finally, we discuss empirical findings in the context of these theories to draw some conclusions about media influences on smoking and identify issues for further research. We conclude that (a) the media both shape and reflect social values about smoking; (b) the media provide new information about smoking directly to audiences; (c) the media act as a source of observational learning by providing models which teenagers may seek to emulate; (d) exposure to media messages about smoking also provides direct reinforcement for smoking or not smoking; (e) the media promote interpersonal discussion about smoking; (f) the media can influence "intervening" behaviors that may make teenage smoking less likely; and (g) antismoking media messages can also set the agenda for other change at the community, state or national level. We outline priorities for further research which emphasize the need for longitudinal studies, multi-level studies, an awareness of the probably dynamic relationship between tobacco advertising and antismoking advertising, the importance of determining appraisal of tobacco industry youth smoking prevention efforts and the dearth of research on news coverage about smoking.

  13. Using the Internet and social media to promote condom use in Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purdy, Christopher H

    2011-05-01

    Condoms are an important contraceptive method in Turkey, used by one in three couples using modern methods. However, withdrawal remains the most common form of contraception, resulting in many unwanted pregnancies. To address this issue and increase condom use in Turkey, DKT International, a social marketing enterprise, leveraged the high use of the Internet and social networking to help build Fiesta, a premium condom brand, and promote sales and condom use. By utilising a wide range of digital platforms--a new website, Facebook page, Google Adwords, an e-newsletter, viral marketing, banner ads and involving bloggers--Fiesta achieved strong recognition among the target audience of sexually active young people, though far more men than women. Retail audits, Internet analysis and sales performance suggest that using the Internet was instrumental in establishing Fiesta. Sales reached 4.3 million condoms (of which 8% were sold online) in the first 18 months. In contrast, Kiss, a far more inexpensive DKT condom, launched at the same time but with no digital campaign, sold 2.6 million. With the growing availability and use of the Internet and social media globally, family planning organizations should consider incorporating these technologies into their educational, outreach and marketing programmes. Copyright © 2011 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Promoting physical activity, healthy eating and gross motor skills development among preschoolers attending childcare centers: Process evaluation of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention using the RE-AIM framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Stéphanie; Chow, Amanda Froehlich; Humbert, M Louise; Bélanger, Mathieu; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Vatanparast, Hassan; Leis, Anne

    2018-06-01

    The Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention was developed to promote physical activity, gross motor skills and healthy eating among preschoolers attending childcare centers. This process evaluation aimed to report the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention. The RE-AIM framework was used to guide this process evaluation. Data were collected across 140 childcare centers who received the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention in the provinces of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, Canada. Quantitative data were collected through director questionnaires at 10 months and 2 years after the initial training and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were collected throughout the intervention. The intervention was successful in reaching a large number of childcare centres and engaging both rural and urban communities across Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Centres reported increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating, which were generally low-cost, easy and quick to implement. However, these changes were rarely transformed into formal written policies. A total of 87% of centers reported using the physical activity resource and 68% using the nutrition resource on a weekly basis. Implementation fidelity of the initial training was high. Of those centers who received the initial training, 75% participated in the mid-point booster session training. Two year post-implementation questionnaires indicated that 47% of centers were still using the Active Play Equipment kit, while 42% were still using the physical activity resource and 37% were still using the nutrition resource. Key challenges to implementation and sustainability identified during the evaluation were consistent among all of the REAIM elements. These challenges included lack of time, lack of support from childcare staff and low parental engagement. Findings from this study suggest the implementation of

  15. School Nurses' Experiences and Perceptions of Healthy Eating School Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muckian, Jean; Snethen, Julia; Buseh, Aaron

    School nurses provide health promotion and health services within schools, as healthy children have a greater potential for optimal learning. One of the school nurses' role is in encouraging healthy eating and increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables in the school. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe school nurses' perceptions of their role in promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption in the school setting. One avenue to increased availability of fruits and vegetables in schools is Farm to School programs mandated by the Federal government to improve the health of school children. School nurses are optimally positioned to work with Farm to School programs to promote healthy eating. A secondary aim was to explore school nurses' knowledge, experiences and/or perceptions of the Farm to School program to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in the school setting. Three themes emerged from the focus groups: If There Were More of Me, I Could Do More; Food Environment in Schools; School Nurses Promote Health. School nurses reported that they addressed health issues more broadly in their roles as educator, collaborator, advocate and modeling healthy behaviors. Most of the participants knew of Farm to School programs, but only two school nurses worked in schools that participated in the program. Consequently, the participants reported having little or no experiences with the Farm to School programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The Effect of Educational Intervention on Promoting Healthy Eating Behaviors among Primary School Students in Kermanshah City, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somayeh Ebrahimi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Nutrition is important during childhood for growth and to help prevent infections and other diseases and educational interventions will be effective. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of educational intervention on promoting healthy eating behaviors among primary school students of Kermanshah City, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 135 primary school students were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. Data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire before and after the intervention in the areas of knowledge, attitude, practice and demographic variables. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, and paired t test with the SPSS-13 software. Results: Results showed that after the educational intervention the mean scores of knowledge, attitudes and practice were increased significantly in the experimental group (P0.05. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the educational intervention was effective in creating positive changes in knowledge, attitude and especially behaviors of the students about healthy eating. According to the appropriate education in schools and low-cost and effective nutritional education, the need to extend this type of training programs seems necessary.

  17. Healthy kids out of school: using mixed methods to develop principles for promoting healthy eating and physical activity in out-of-school settings in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sliwa, Sarah A; Sharma, Shanti; Dietz, William H; Dolan, Peter R; Nelson, Miriam E; Newman, Molly B; Rockeymoore, Maya; Economos, Christina D

    2014-12-31

    Widespread practices supporting availability of healthful foods, beverages, and physical activity in out-of-school-time (OST) settings would further obesity prevention efforts. The objective of this article was to describe principles to guide policy development in support of healthy eating and physical activity practices in out-of-school settings to promote obesity prevention. The Institute of Medicine's L.E.A.D. framework (Locate Evidence, Evaluate it, Assemble it, and Inform Decisions) was used to identify practices relevant to children's healthful eating in most OST settings: 1) locate and evaluate information from a national survey of children's perceptions of healthful-food access; published research, reports, policies and guidelines; and roundtables with OST organizations' administrators; 2) assemble information to prioritize actionable practices; and 3) inform programmatic direction. Three evidence-informed guiding principles for short-duration OST resulted: 1) drink right: choose water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages; 2) move more: boost movement and physical activity in all programs; and 3) snack smart: fuel up on fruits and vegetables. Healthy Kids Out of School was launched to support the dissemination and implementation of these guiding principles in short-duration OST settings, complementing efforts in other OST settings to shift norms around eating and physical activity.

  18. Legitimacy, Self-Interpretation and Genre in Media Industries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alacovska, Ana

    2015-01-01

    . In contrast to prevalent theorisations of paratexts as simultaneous hermeneutic and marketing frameworks that regulate a reader’s interpretive practices (reception) and/or media purchasing habits (consumption), I suggest that paratexts are vehicles through which media production companies engage in auto-communication......, that is, self-interpret with a view to legitimating an ethical, virtuous and authentic institutional self. I furthermore suggest that a media company’s paratextual legitimation efforts unfold in reference to the genre, under the label of which its media products are produced, promoted and distributed....... Genres are central to media institutions’ legitimacy, while the paratext is the principal conduit through which legitimation is conveyed....

  19. The role of electronic media in shaping the country's image

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azel Zhanibek

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the influence of electronic media in the country to external image of Kazakhstan. Special attention is paid to the experience of various countries in promoting the country's image by electronic media.

  20. Potential Analysis of Promoting the Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Prevention Through Youtube

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mara Ipa

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Deal with health promotion efforts in terms of disease control using media or social networking is an innovative breakthrough in a region having a broad range of territory, such as Indonesia and others countries alike. The use of social media /video platforms such as youtube, vimeo, veoh in health promotion has been significantly increased. This study aims to determine the potential availability of information about dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF on YouTube social media and social media potential of as a medium for dissemination of knowledge of health promotion. Methods: This study used a social media site or website which is the most popular video hosting sites in the world, ‘YouTube’, with the keyword of ‘dengue hemorrhagic fever’. The selected video directly associated with DHF, videos in English that were included in this study using Latin letters in the description of the video; with duration less than or equal to 5 minutes. 76 videos analyzed with content analysis methods. Results:Showed that 76 videos divided into categories of prevention, control, transmission, treatment, dengue fever treatment, and other categories. Other information classification categories explain the severity of dengue virus infection, dengue vector (morphology, bionomics, intrinsic phase dengue virus and some research conducted as dengue vaccine discovery efforts. Conclusion: The availability of information about dengue on YouTube social media is still very deficient. Recommendation: YouTube has the potential of social media as a medium for disseminating health promotion information about dengue.

  1. Bringing the sense back into healthy eating advice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drummond, Sandra

    2006-01-01

    Conflicting messages about diet in the media, including publicity for "fad" diets, tend to distort the public's understanding of healthy eating. Several myths also persist, such as "skipping meals is a good way to lose weight," "all fats are bad" or "carbohydrates should be limited when trying to lose weight" Food labels, including the "traffic light" system, may also be confusing for some people. Food preferences vary between individuals, but health professionals can help guide individuals and towards a varied, balanced diet. This will include foods the individual and family enjoy, but based on appropriate proportions of all the five food groups, cooked in healthy ways. Some simple healthy eating tips are given to pass on to clients.

  2. Impact of schoolchildren's involvement in the design process on the effectiveness of healthy food promotion materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustafson, Christopher R; Abbey, Bryce M; Heelan, Kate A

    2017-06-01

    Marketing techniques may improve children's vegetable consumption. However, student participation in the design of marketing materials may increase the material's salience, while also improving children's commitment and attitudes towards healthy eating. The impact of student-led design of vegetable promotional materials on choice and consumption was investigated using 1614 observations of students' vegetable choice and plate waste in four public elementary schools in Kearney, Nebraska. Data were collected on children's vegetable choice and consumption in four comparison groups: 1) control; 2) students designed materials only; 3) students were exposed to promotional materials only; and 4) students designed materials that were then posted in the lunchroom. Vegetable choice and consumption data were collected through a validated digital photography-based plate-waste method. Multivariate linear regression was used to estimate average treatment effects of the conditions at various time periods. Dependent variables were vegetable choice and consumption, and independent variables included the condition, time period, and interaction terms, as well as controls for gender and grade. Relative to baseline, students in group 4 doubled their vegetable consumption ( p  < 0.001) when materials were posted. Vegetable consumption remained elevated at a follow-up 2-3 months later ( p  < 0.05). Students in group 3 initially increased the quantity of vegetables selected ( p  < 0.05), but did not increase consumption. In the follow-up period, however, students in group 3 increased their vegetable consumption ( p  < 0.01). Involving elementary-aged students in the design of vegetable promotional materials that were posted in the lunchroom increased the amount of vegetables students consumed.

  3. Corporate Schooling Meets Corporate Media: Standards, Testing, and Technophilia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saltman, Kenneth J.

    2016-01-01

    Educational publishing corporations and media corporations in the United States have been converging, especially through the promotion of standardization, testing, and for-profit educational technologies. Media and technology companies--including News Corp, Apple, and Microsoft--have significantly expanded their presence in public schools to sell…

  4. [Variables involved in the individual and collective practice of healthy habits].

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Ubaque, Juan C; García-Ubaque, César A; Vaca-Bohórquez, Martha L

    2014-01-01

    To conduct a descriptive review of the concepts related to the practice of healthy habits by identifying the main variables associated with their managment in terms of health promotion actions. In consultation with groups working in health promotion in the city of performed by consulting databases and documentary sources. The strategy and criteria for the selection of documents was previously defined. Finally, we proceeded to organizing and structuring the information. It was established that, to promote healthy habits, four groups of behavior are involved: a) consumption, b) phyisical activity and hygiene, c) safety, and d) social participation. All of these are reviewed in order to point out the main concepts contained in each. The promotion of healthy habits must involve not only the transmission of behaviors associated with them. It must also involve understanding and adapting these habits to the environments of life in which people operate, with consideration for the different roles that they perform and the psychological and cultural demands that each space implies.

  5. Social Media and HIV: A Systematic Review of Uses of Social Media in HIV Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taggart, Tamara; Grewe, Mary Elisabeth; Conserve, Donaldson F; Gliwa, Catherine; Roman Isler, Malika

    2015-11-02

    Social media, including mobile technologies and social networking sites, are being used increasingly as part of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and treatment efforts. As an important avenue for communication about HIV, social media use may continue to increase and become more widespread. The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive systematic review of the current published literature on the design, users, benefits, and limitations of using social media to communicate about HIV prevention and treatment. This review paper used a systematic approach to survey all literature published before February 2014 using 7 electronic databases and a manual search. The inclusion criteria were (1) primary focus on communication/interaction about HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), (2) discusses the use of social media to facilitate communication, (3) communication on the social media platform is between individuals or a group of individuals rather than the use of preset, automated responses from a platform, (4) published before February 19, 2014, and (5) all study designs. The search identified 35 original research studies. Thirty studies had low or unclear risk of at least one of the bias items in the methodological quality assessment. Among the 8 social media platform types described, short message service text messaging was most commonly used. Platforms served multiple purposes including disseminating health information, conducting health promotion, sharing experiences, providing social support, and promoting medication adherence. Social media users were diverse in geographic location and race/ethnicity; studies commonly reported users aged 18-40 years and users with lower income. Although most studies did not specify whether use was anonymous, studies reported the importance of anonymity in social media use to communicate about HIV largely due to the stigma associated with HIV. The ability to share and receive information about HIV was

  6. Social Media and HIV: A Systematic Review of Uses of Social Media in HIV Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grewe, Mary Elisabeth; Conserve, Donaldson F; Gliwa, Catherine; Roman Isler, Malika

    2015-01-01

    Background Social media, including mobile technologies and social networking sites, are being used increasingly as part of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and treatment efforts. As an important avenue for communication about HIV, social media use may continue to increase and become more widespread. Objective The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive systematic review of the current published literature on the design, users, benefits, and limitations of using social media to communicate about HIV prevention and treatment. Methods This review paper used a systematic approach to survey all literature published before February 2014 using 7 electronic databases and a manual search. The inclusion criteria were (1) primary focus on communication/interaction about HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), (2) discusses the use of social media to facilitate communication, (3) communication on the social media platform is between individuals or a group of individuals rather than the use of preset, automated responses from a platform, (4) published before February 19, 2014, and (5) all study designs. Results The search identified 35 original research studies. Thirty studies had low or unclear risk of at least one of the bias items in the methodological quality assessment. Among the 8 social media platform types described, short message service text messaging was most commonly used. Platforms served multiple purposes including disseminating health information, conducting health promotion, sharing experiences, providing social support, and promoting medication adherence. Social media users were diverse in geographic location and race/ethnicity; studies commonly reported users aged 18-40 years and users with lower income. Although most studies did not specify whether use was anonymous, studies reported the importance of anonymity in social media use to communicate about HIV largely due to the stigma associated with HIV. The ability to share and

  7. Exploring Women’s Beliefs and Perceptions About Healthy Eating Blogs: A Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bissonnette-Maheux, Véronique; Provencher, Veronique; Lapointe, Annie; Dugrenier, Marilyn; Dumas, Audrée-Anne; Pluye, Pierre; Straus, Sharon; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

    2015-01-01

    Background Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death (63%) worldwide. A key behavioral risk factor is unhealthy eating. New strategies must be identified and evaluated to improve dietary habits. Social media, such as blogs, represent a unique opportunity for improving knowledge translation in health care through interactive communication between health consumers and health professionals. Despite the proliferation of food and lifestyle blogs, no research has been devoted to understanding potential blog readers’ perceptions of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians. Objective To identify women’s salient beliefs and perceptions regarding the use of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians promoting the improvement of their dietary habits. Methods We conducted a qualitative study with female Internet users living in the Quebec City, QC, area with suboptimal dietary habits. First, the women explored 4 existing healthy eating blogs written in French by qualified dietitians. At a focus group 2-4 weeks later, they were asked to discuss their experience and perceptions. Focus group participants were grouped by age (18-34, 35-54, and 55-75 years) and by their use of social media (users/nonusers). Using a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, participants were asked to identify salient beliefs underlying their attitudes (advantages/disadvantages), subjective norms (what people important to them would think), and perceptions of control (facilitators/barriers) regarding the use of a healthy eating blog written by a dietitian to improve dietary habits. Discussion groups were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and a deductive content analysis was performed independently by 2 individuals using the NVivo software (version 10). Results All participants (N=33) were Caucasian women aged between 22 to 73 year. Main advantages perceived of using healthy eating blogs written by a dietitian were that they provided useful recipe ideas, improved

  8. [The finut healthy lifestyles guide: beyond the food pyramid].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil, Angel; Ruiz-Lopez, Maria Dolores; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Miguel; Martinez de Victoria, Emilio

    2015-05-01

    The World Health Organization has proposed that health be promoted and protected through the development of an environment that enables sustainable actions at individual, community, national and global levels. Indeed, food-based dietary guidelines, i.e., food pyramids, have been developed in numerous countries to disseminate nutritional information to the general population. However, wider recommendations are needed, with information on an active, healthy lifestyle, not just healthy eating. The objective of the present work is to propose a three-dimensional pyramid as a new strategy for promoting adequate nutrition and active healthy lifestyles in a sustainable way. Indeed, the Iberomerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles has been designed as a tetrahedron, its three lateral faces corresponding to the binomials food and nutrition, physical activity and rest, and education and hygiene. Each lateral face is divided into two triangles. These faces show the following: 1. food-based guidelines and healthy eating habits as related to a sustainable environment; 2. recommendations for rest and physical activity and educational, social and cultural issues; 3. selected hygiene and educational guidelines that, in conjunction with the other two faces, would contribute to better health and provide measures to promote environmental sustainability. The new FINUT pyramid is addressed to the general population of all ages and should serve as a guide for living a healthy lifestyle within a defined social and cultural context. It includes an environmental and sustainability dimension providing measures that should contribute to the prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  9. New Media but Same Old Tricks: Food Marketing to Children in the Digital Age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Bridget; Vandevijvere, Stefanie; Freeman, Becky; Jenkin, Gabrielle

    2015-03-01

    'New media' refers to digital technologies, which offer unmatched opportunities for food companies to engage with young people. This paper explores the emergence of food marketing using new media, the potential impact of this marketing on young people, and current and potential policy responses to limit exposure to these promotions. Foremost in any informed policy discussion is the need for robust evidence to demonstrate the need for intervention. In this case, such evidence relates to the extent of children's exposures to commercial food promotions via new media, and the nature of these promotions. Approaches to, and challenges of, collecting and assessing these data are discussed. There is accumulating evidence that food marketing on new media is increasing and influences children's food preferences and choices. The impact of integrated campaigns, which reinforce commercial messages across multiple platforms, and of new media, which engage personally with potential consumers, is likely to be greater than that of traditional marketing.

  10. Ecological Strategies to Promote Healthy Body Image among Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Retta R.; Roy, Jane; Geiger, Brian F.; Werner, Karen A.; Burnett, Donna

    2008-01-01

    Background: Personal habits of children and adolescents related to healthy body image (BI) are influenced by various determinants in the micro- and macroenvironment. These include attitudes and behaviors about eating; exercise and physical appearance modeled by parents, teachers, and peers; as well as opportunities to learn new habits and social…

  11. SALES PROMOTION, A SUGGESTED ADULT DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATION COURSE OUTLINE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    RUBIN, ALAN J.; AND OTHERS

    THIS SUGGESTED OUTLINE FOR A BASIC COURSE IN SALES PROMOTION IS DESIGNED FOR NOT LESS THAN FIVE 2-HOUR SESSIONS ON (1) ASPECTS OF SALES PROMOTION, (2) SALES PROMOTION TECHNIQUES, (3) NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING, (4) WINDOW AND INTERIOR DISPLAY PRINCIPLES, AND (5) SELECTED PROMOTIONAL MEDIA AND DEVICES. POSSIBLE TEACHERS INCLUDE A SALES PROMOTION…

  12. Neural Signaling of Food Healthiness Associated with Emotion Processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herwig, Uwe; Dhum, Matthias; Hittmeyer, Anna; Opialla, Sarah; Scherpiet, Sigrid; Keller, Carmen; Brühl, Annette B; Siegrist, Michael

    2016-01-01

    The ability to differentiate healthy from unhealthy foods is important in order to promote good health. Food, however, may have an emotional connotation, which could be inversely related to healthiness. The neurobiological background of differentiating healthy and unhealthy food and its relations to emotion processing are not yet well understood. We addressed the neural activations, particularly considering the single subject level, when one evaluates a food item to be of a higher, compared to a lower grade of healthiness with a particular view on emotion processing brain regions. Thirty-seven healthy subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while evaluating the healthiness of food presented as photographs with a subsequent rating on a visual analog scale. We compared individual evaluations of high and low healthiness of food items and also considered gender differences. We found increased activation when food was evaluated to be healthy in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precuneus in whole brain analyses. In ROI analyses, perceived and rated higher healthiness was associated with lower amygdala activity and higher ventral striatal and orbitofrontal cortex activity. Females exerted a higher activation in midbrain areas when rating food items as being healthy. Our results underline the close relationship between food and emotion processing, which makes sense considering evolutionary aspects. Actively evaluating and deciding whether food is healthy is accompanied by neural signaling associated with reward and self-relevance, which could promote salutary nutrition behavior. The involved brain regions may be amenable to mechanisms of emotion regulation in the context of psychotherapeutic regulation of food intake.

  13. Can School Organic Food Policy Promote Healthy Behaviors in Danish Children?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    He, Chen

    can support the development of healthier eating patterns among pupils. Food strategies of “organic” schools were compared to those of “non organic” schools. The study was undertaken among school food coordinators through a web-based questionnaire in selected public primary schools. The questionnaire...... explored the attitudes, policies/intentions and actions in relation to organic and healthy foods served in the schools. Results indicate that organic food intervention strategies can be supportive for strategies to increase the healthiness of school eating patterns....

  14. Pengaruh Media Promosi Kesehatan tentang ASI Eksklusif terhadap Peningkatan Pengetahuan Ibu di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Lubuk Begalung Padang Tahun 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binarni Suhertusi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakUpaya meningkatkan cakupan pemberian ASI eksklusif sudah banyak dilakukan, diantaranya dalam bentuk promosi kesehatan. Namun demikian hingga saat ini kegiatan tersebut belum menunjukkan hasil yang optimal terutama dalam hal penggunaan media. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh media promosi kesehatan terhadap peningkatan pengetahuan menggunakan media leaflet dan media film. Ini merupakan penelitian eksperimen semu (quasi-experimental dengan rancangan pretest-posttest group design. Dilaksanakan di wilayah kerja puskesmas Lubuk Begalung Padang tahun 2014. Subjek penelitian adalah ibu hamil sebanyak 42 orang yang dipilih dengan cara simple random sampling. Subjek dibagi menjadi dua kelompok, kelompok pertama menggunakan media leaflet dan kelompok kedua dengan media film. Data dianalisis dengan uji Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test untuk mengetahui perbedaan pengetahuan sebelum dan sesudah promosi kesehatan dan uji Mann-Whitney membandingkan kedua media promosi kesehatan. Rata-rata pengetahuan responden sebelum diberikan promosi kesehatan dengan media leaflet 8,71 dan setelahnya 11,52. Pada media film sebelum diberikan promosi kesehatan 7,90 dan setelahnya 13,19. Selisih nilai pengetahuan responden dengan media leaflet 2,81 dan media film 5,29. Ada peningkatan pengetahuan ibu sebelum dan sesudah diberi promosi kesehatan dengan media leaflet dan media film. Media film lebih efektif meningkatkan pengetahuan dibanding dengan media leaflet.Kata kunci: ASI eksklusif, leaflet, filmAbstractVarious attempts have been taken to improve the granting of exclusive breastfeeding, one of them is health promotion. Nonetheless, the health promotion has not shown the optimal result especially on the use of media. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of health promotion regarding exclusive breastfeeding on the knowledge improvement of pregnant mothers either by using leaflet or film media. This was a quasi-experimental study with

  15. Family environmental factors do not explain differences in the behavioral effect of a healthy diet promotion program in lower vocational schools among 12-to 14-year-old adolescents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martens, M.; Assema, P.; Knibbe, R.; Engels, R.C.M.E.; Brug, J.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose. Assess whether family environmental factors affected changes in fruit and snack consumption among 12- to 14-year-old adolescents participating in a Dutch healthy diet promotion program. Design. Data were derived from pretest and posttest questionnaires completed by adolescents in 10 schools

  16. Promoting Healthy Menu Choices in Fast Food Restaurant Advertising: Influence of Perceived Brand Healthiness, Brand Commitment, and Health Consciousness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hojoon; Reid, Leonard N

    2018-01-01

    Fast food restaurants have increasingly turned to healthier choices to counter criticisms of nutritionally poor menu offerings and to differentiate themselves from the competition. However, research has yet to specifically investigate how consumers respond to advertisements for these healthier foods. To address this knowledge gap, two experiments were conducted to examine how perceived brand healthiness, brand commitment, and health consciousness influence responses to nutrient-content claimed print advertisements for healthy foods. Findings indicate that consumer responsiveness varies across the three factors but is more positive for advertisements placed by perceivably healthy restaurant brands, and that brand commitment and health consciousness play significant roles in affecting how consumer respond to such advertising. Several theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

  17. Healthy eating design guidelines for school architecture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Terry T-K; Sorensen, Dina; Davis, Steven; Frerichs, Leah; Brittin, Jeri; Celentano, Joseph; Callahan, Kelly; Trowbridge, Matthew J

    2013-01-01

    We developed a new tool, Healthy Eating Design Guidelines for School Architecture, to provide practitioners in architecture and public health with a practical set of spatially organized and theory-based strategies for making school environments more conducive to learning about and practicing healthy eating by optimizing physical resources and learning spaces. The design guidelines, developed through multidisciplinary collaboration, cover 10 domains of the school food environment (eg, cafeteria, kitchen, garden) and 5 core healthy eating design principles. A school redesign project in Dillwyn, Virginia, used the tool to improve the schools' ability to adopt a healthy nutrition curriculum and promote healthy eating. The new tool, now in a pilot version, is expected to evolve as its components are tested and evaluated through public health and design research.

  18. Media education as a system of health personalities software in media-information space

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ye. M. Velykodna

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of the article is to outline the problems of health and human security in the media­information education space. Media education as a system of values formation under conditions of medial ­ information educational environment focused on developing and providing protective functions in their close interdependence. Training is aimed at creating conditions for the development of spiritual subjects of education, promotion of positive changes in their personal development. Protective aimed at improving the social protection of business education in the destructive tendencies in society , to neutralize the impact of negative factors media. The most important part of media education in the context of ensuring the health of the individual is the formation of values education activity as the basis of spiritual health. It is shown that meaningful use sens formative influence of media­information space determines the priority position of media education as a factor in providing mental health of the individual. Formation of mental health is associated with the conscious assimilation of certain belief systems of the world. According media education focuses not on broadcast ready «moral absolutes «, and the simulation of specific situations in which the individual is necessary to self­determination regarding fundamental values and principles of implementing these values in life.

  19. Food and nutrition policies associate with indicators of healthy eating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    He, Chen; Mikkelsen, Bent Egberg

    2009-01-01

    become one of the preferred organizational tools to frame these efforts. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between having a local food & nutrition policy and indicators of healthy eating at school. It is based results from a web survey among food service coordinators in 179......The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity has resulted in more focus on the role that public settings such as school for children can play in promoting healthy lifestyle. As a consequence increasingly organizational efforts have been directed towards this issue and policy instruments have......, the attitude of school respondents regarding promoting organic food and healthy eating habits through school environment, the existing policies concerning healthy school food and the development of school food serving practice, were analyzed by using statistic tools. The results indicate a strong relationship...

  20. Crowdfunding: How audiences promote innovation in journalism

    OpenAIRE

    Cabrera-Gonzalez, Maria de los Angeles

    2014-01-01

    With the development of technology and media, the role of the audience has been changing. Thanks to the interactivity of new media, the audience is no longer just a passive receiver. Interactivity allows audiences to comment, vote, share, produce and complete the content of new media. All these new audience capabilities have led to concepts such as prosumers (consumers and producers of content). Consequently, a whole new audience role has emerged. Audiences are now directly promoters of journ...