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"Bread: it's a great way to go". Increasing bread consumption decreases laxative sales in an elderly community
G Egger1, K Wolfenden, J Pares
1Discipline of Behavioural Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, NSW.
Objective:
To test the effects on laxative sales of two methods of promoting increased consumption of wholemeal/wholegrain bread by the elderly.
Design:
Community intervention trials were carried out in two test communities and one control community on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.
Participants:
Small retirement communities with a high proportion of the population aged over 55 years.
Interventions:
A community organisation strategy (COS) involving the media, community activities and social marketing principles using the theme "Bread: It's a Great Way to Go" was compared with a patient education strategy (PES) through local doctors and a control community (CON).
Main Outcome Measures:
Wholemeal/wholegrain bread sales and laxative sales.
Results:
There was a 49% decrease in laxative sales corresponding to a 58% increase in sales of wholemeal/wholegrain bread in the COS community but no significant changes in either the PES or CON communities.
Conclusions:
The study suggests a positive, cost effective approach for increasing fibre intake and improving gastrointestinal problems in the elderly.