Appearance-based health promotion messages for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption: gender, age and adverse effects

Abstract

AimThis study sought to investigate the effects of body-weight-based compared to health-based public health messages for encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption, dependent on gender and age, while also gauging adverse consequences.Subject and methodsUsing an independent groups design, male and female participants, aged 18–65 years, were randomized to view either a weight-based (N = 245) or a health-based (N = 231) public health message for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and intentions to consume, immediate selection and subsequent consumption of fruit and vegetables and biscuit/cake-bars, adverse consequences and various confounders were assessed.ResultsWeight-based messages resulted in greater immediate selection and subsequent fruit and vegetable consumption compared to health-based messages in females (smallest Beta = 0.375, p = 0.04), specifically younger females (least significant Beta = 0.683, p = 0.04). No effects were found in males. Intentions to consume fruit and vegetables, biscuit/cake-bars and subsequent biscuit/cake-bar consumption were predicted only by confounders. Adverse consequences of the messages were low (χ2(1) = 44.16, p < 0.05; smallest t(148) = 10.22, p < 0.01), and did not differ between weight-based and health-based messages (χ2(2) = 2.72, p > 0.05; largest t(278) = 0.75, p = 0.46).ConclusionsThis work demonstrates a role for weight-based compared to health-based public health promotion messages for increasing fruit and vegetable selection and consumption in young females. Adverse consequences following the messages were low, but care may still be needed.