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Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice
Published on: June 5, 2016
Promoting fruit and vegetable intake through messages tailored to individual differences in regulatory focus
Amy E Latimer1, Pamela Williams-Piehota, Nicole A Katulak
1Department of Psychology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208205, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. amy.latimer@queensu.ca
Background:
Researchers must identify strategies to optimize the persuasiveness of messages used in public education campaigns encouraging fruit and vegetable (FV) intake.
Purpose:
This study examined whether tailoring messages to individuals' regulatory focus (RF), the tendency to be motivated by promotion versus prevention goals, increased the persuasiveness of messages encouraging greater FV intake.
Method:
Participants (n = 518) completed an assessment of their RF and were randomly assigned to receive either prevention- or promotion-oriented messages. Messages were mailed 1 week, 2 months, and 3 months after the baseline interview. Follow-up assessments were conducted 1 and 4 months after the baseline assessment.
Results:
Regression analyses revealed that at Month 4, the messages were somewhat more efficacious when congruent with participants' RF.
Conclusion:
RF may be a promising target for developing tailored messages promoting increased FV intake, and particularly for encouraging individuals to meet FV guidelines.
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