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

Abstract

Aim This study sought to investigate the efects 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 methods Using 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. Results Weight-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), specifcally younger females (least signifcant Beta = 0.683, p = 0.04). No efects 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 difer between weight-based and healthbased messages (χ2 (2) = 2.72, p > 0.05; largest t(278) = 0.75, p = 0.46). Conclusions This 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.