Development and cultural adaptation of text messages for promoting healthy eating among Amazonian schoolchildren

To develop text messages for a mHealth intervention promoting healthy eating among Amazonian schoolchildren.

Two rounds of expert panel analysis and formative research interviews.

Western Brazilian Amazon, Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil.

Included 17 healthcare professionals and 40 caregivers of school-aged children enrolled in the Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition in Acre birth cohort study.

Evaluation focused on messages' cultural appropriateness, comprehensibility, and relevance, along with caregivers' understanding and intention to adhere to the recommendations.

Quantitative analysis employed the modified Cohen Kappa, the Scale-Content Validity Index Average (S-CVI-Ave), frequency calculations, and a ranking system.

Fifty-five text messages were drafted. In the initial stage, eight messages did not achieve a sufficient score and were subsequently revised and reevaluated, ultimately gaining approval. The S-CVI-Ave for each domain was as follows: cultural appropriateness = 0.97, comprehensibility = 0.96, and relevance = 0.97. Formative research indicated a 92% understanding rate and a 70% intention rate to adhere to the proposed suggestions.

The final set of messages was successfully culturally adapted and will contribute to the translation and dissemination of Dietary Guidelines for Brazilian Population recommendations to Western Amazon families.