1% or less: a community-based nutrition campaign

• Published in: Public health reports (1974) 1998-09, Vol.113 (5), p.410-419
• Main Authors: Reger, B. (West Virginia University, Morgantown.), Wootan, M.G, Booth-Butterfield, S, Smith, H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; ADVERTISING; Advertising as Topic; Advertising campaigns; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; ALIMENT ALLEGE EN GRAISSE; ALIMENTOS; ALIMENTOS BAJOS EN GRASA; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Campaigns; Child; Child, Preschool; DIET; Diet Surveys; DIETA; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; ENCUESTAS; ENQUETE; Environment. Living conditions; Fat intake; Fatty Acids - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids - economics; Feeding Behavior; Female; FOOD INTAKE; FOODS; GROCERY STORES; Health education; Health Education - methods; HEALTH PROMOTION; HEALTH SERVICES; HUMAN NUTRITION; Humans; INGESTION DE ALIMENTOS; LAIT; LAIT ECREME; LECHE; LECHE DESNATADA; LOW FAT FOODS; Male; Market share; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; MILK; Milk - economics; Milk fat; NUTRICION HUMANA; Nutrition; NUTRITION HUMAINE; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); PRISE ALIMENTAIRE (HOMME); PRODUIT ALIMENTAIRE; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Public service announcements; PUBLICIDAD; PUBLICITE; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; SERVICE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE; SERVICIOS DE SALUD; SKIM MILK; SUPERMARCHE; SUPERMARKETS; SUPERMERCADOS; SURVEYS; Telephones; TURNOVER; VIRGINIE OCCIDENTALE; WEST VIRGINIA
• ISSN: 0033-3549; 1468-2877

Objective: The authors evaluated the effectiveness of a community education campaign to encourage a switch from high-fat (whole and 2%) milk to low-fat (1%, ½%, and skim) milk as a way to reduce consumption of saturated fat. Methods: Milk sales data were collected from supermarkets in the intervention and comparison communities for three one-month time periods: at baseline, immediately following the campaign, and six months after the campaign. In addition, trained volunteers conducted pre- and post-intervention telephone surveys. Results: Overall milk sales increased by 16% in the intervention cities following the campaign and remained high at follow-up. Low-fat milk's market share increased from 18% of overall milk sales at baseline to 41% of overall milk sales in the month following the end of the campaign, an increase in market share that was sustained at the six-month follow-up. In the post-intervention telephone survey, 38.2% of those respondents who reported drinking high-fat milk at baseline reported having switched to low-fat milk. Conclusion: A focused message communicated through paid advertising, public relations activities, and community-based education programs increased low-fat and overall milk consumption in one community.