Goal-Framing and Temporal-Framing: Effects on the Acceptance of Childhood Simple Obesity Prevention Messages among Preschool Children's Caregivers in China.

Qingmao Rao,Xiaorong Hou,Yalan Lv,Abu Saleh Abdullah,Li Bai,Yunjie Xie,Yong Zhao,Ian Brooks

doi:10.3390/ijerph17030770

Abstract

A range of intervention models are available for childhood obesity prevention; however, few studies have examined the effectiveness of intervention messages. This study developed childhood simple obesity prevention messages on the basis of goal-framing and temporal-framing effects to improve message acceptance among the caregivers of preschool children and explored associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 592 caregivers of preschool children in urban kindergartens in China during March to April 2019. The framing messages were developed based on prospect theory and construal level theory. The majority (48.4%) of caregivers found the gain-framed, present-oriented message most salient for acceptance. We found that gender, education background, theme, and the use of negative words have impacts on goal-framing effects; and previous participation in a health related intervention, career category, and the theme have impacts on temporal-framing effects (p < 0.001). Goal-framing effects and temporal-framing effects can influence each other (p < 0.001). The findings suggest that the gain-framed, present-oriented message could be considered a strategy to improve the acceptance of information by caregivers. When framing a message, subtle differences like using negative words might affect the exertion of framing effects.

Highlights

Simple obesity is caused by excessive accumulation of fat as the body absorbs more calories than it consumes [1]
We explored whether gender, education background, theme, the use of negative words, previous participation in a health related intervention, and career category might affect the recipients’ acceptance of framing messages
The results showed that the different choices caregivers made in dietary behavior (Db) theme are probably related to the collocation conflict between negative words and frames

Summary

Introduction

Simple obesity is caused by excessive accumulation of fat as the body absorbs more calories than it consumes [1]. Childhood simple obesity was once considered a problem only in high-income countries, but is dramatically on the rise in low and middle-income countries, in urban settings [2]. According to the data provided by the International Obesity Task Force and the. World Health Organization disease burden report, the rate of global childhood simple obesity is. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 770; doi:10.3390/ijerph17030770 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion