Strength and weakness of a nutrition communication strategy to health opinion formers: examples from a case study

The nutritional image of diary products is challenged by the fact that milk fat contributes to a high intake of saturated fatty acids. On the other hand milk is promoted as an important source of calcium and other important micronutrients. In order to balance the debate on the nutritional value of milk Danish Dairy Board in 1991 initiated a strategy for nutrition communication directed at health opinion formers. In 1997 an evaluation study was performed.

The purpose of this study was: (1) to estimate the image of dairy products among selected opinion formers, (2) to elucidate the opinion formers' attitude to the engagement of the Danish Dairy Board in nutrition communication, (3) to disclose barriers and possibilities for future collaboration among important health opinion formers and the dairy industry on nutrition communication about milk and milk products.

Twenty important Danish health opinion formers representing the authorities, nutrition science, the medical community, the government, the parliament and media took part in the study. All the participants were interviewed by phone or in person following an interview guide.

On the whole there is support for the official recommendation of daily consumption of half a litre of milk and 25 g of cheese-preferably the low fat varieties. The majority of the informants strongly urge the diary industry to produce more tasty low fat products and to promote them heavily through marketing campaigns. It is recognised as a positive feature that the diary industry in Denmark in a formulated nutrition policy has taken on a co-responsibility for public health. But it is put forward that this public policy obliges the dairy industry even more strongly to live up to their responsibility, which only a few of the opinion leaders find is the case. The informants find a dialogue with highly qualified nutrition staff of the industry as a prerequisite for future collaboration. It is recommended that the dairy industry invests more resources in visualising its co-responsibility for public health and that a two string strategy is implemented: 1. Product-related nutrition communication putting dairy products into a holistic perspective and 2. General nutrition information activities in collaboration with authorities and other interested parties (ideal organisations or producers of e.g. vegetables and bread).