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Nutrition communication program: a direct mail approach.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
|March 1, 1983
Summary
This study shows that an interactive mass communication program effectively improved nutrition knowledge and behaviors in families. The approach successfully influenced food practices, demonstrating the potential of well-designed communication strategies.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Communication Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- A nutrition communication model guided the development of a mass communication program for families with young children.
- The program utilized a three-way interactive communication system via direct mail, blending interpersonal and mass-mediated communication attributes.
- The goal was to enhance nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices through family and communicator interaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel mass communication program designed to improve nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices among families with young children.
- To assess the impact of an interactive, direct-mail-based communication strategy on family discussions and engagement with nutrition information.
- To determine if the program could lead to measurable changes in nutritional knowledge and food behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Developed and implemented a mass communication program using a nutrition communication model and a three-way interactive system via direct mail.
- Focused on a holistic approach to nutrition education, emphasizing basic concepts for dietary decision-making.
- Collected data on family interaction, message attention, nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and specific food behaviors.
Main Results:
- The communication strategy successfully fostered desired interaction, particularly within family groups, with frequent discussions and moderate feedback.
- Mothers showed very good attention to messages, while fathers showed good attention.
- Significant increases in nutrition knowledge were observed, with six out of nine measured behaviors changing favorably. One-third to one-half of participants reported specific changes in food practices.
Conclusions:
- The nutrition communication program was generally effective in improving nutritional knowledge and influencing food practices.
- Evidence suggests that mass communication programs can effectively change behavior when designed with interactive elements.
- The study highlights that traditional uses of mass media may have limited their effectiveness in behavior change, supporting a more interactive approach.