The Relationship Between Health Literacy and Media Literacy Related to Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Abstract

To examine cross-sectional relationships between an individual's health literacy (HL) level and their capacity to interpret media messages related to sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). Participants were adults enrolled in Talking Health, an on-going RCT designed to reduce SSB intake in Southwest Virginia (n=224, 81.3% female; 93.8% white, 44.8% receiving SNAP and/or WIC benefits). Participants completed the Newest Vital Sign to assess HL status and a SSB media literacy survey assessing three domains: Authors & Audiences (AA, authors create messages for profit and target specific audiences); Messages & Meanings (MM, messages have specific values and multiple production techniques); and Representation & Reality (RR, health information is omitted). Descriptive statistics and ANOVAs were used. Participants were categorized as having high likelihood of limited HL (n=32, 14%), having the possibility of limited HL (n=41, 18%), and having adequate HL (n=151, 67%). Participants with high likelihood of limited HL had a significantly (p<0.01) lower level of MM (M=50.97, SD=11.18) than those with the possibility of limited HL (M=55.71, SD=5.27) and adequate HL (M=55.27, SD=6.87). Similarly, participants with high likelihood of limited literacy also had a significantly (p<0.01) lower level of RR (M=25.74, SD=7.65) than those with the possibility of limited HL (M=29.98, SD=4.94) and adequate HL (M=28.68, SD=4.98). This is the first study to examine whether HL levels can differentiate media literacy skills. Individuals with limited HL are less skillful in analyzing SSB media messages. Providing media literacy education to low HL adults may be crucial to nutrition education interventions.