Heinz Freisling1, Karin Haas, Ibrahim Elmadfa. 1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria. heinz.freisling@univie.ac.at
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to examine associations between exposure to nutrition information as covered in mass media and daily fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among adolescents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nutrition survey. SETTING: Vocational schools in Vienna, Austria. SUBJECTS: A sample of 2949 ethnically diverse adolescents with mean age 17.3 (sd 1.7) years. An FFQ was used to assess usual FV consumption. Data on mass media exposure and sociodemographic characteristics were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to control for potentially confounding variables. RESULTS: Adolescents who reported exposure to nutrition information provided by booklets, the Internet or newspaper articles were more likely to eat FV daily. For example, the OR for daily fruit consumption (ORfru) was 1.6 (P < 0.001) when exposure to the Internet was reported after adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, BMI and salary. No such associations were found for radio, television and magazines as sources of nutrition information. A negative impact on daily FV consumption was found for exposure to radio commercials (ORfru = 0.74, P = 0.04 and ORveg = 0.67, P = 0.03). Exposure to TV commercials had a negative impact on vegetable consumption (ORveg = 0.81, P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Newspaper articles, the Internet and booklets as a source of nutrition information are positively associated with daily FV consumption among adolescents, whereas radio commercials have a negative impact. Dissemination of 'healthy eating' slogans should make use of print media and the Internet.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to examine associations between exposure to nutrition information as covered in mass media and daily fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among adolescents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nutrition survey. SETTING: Vocational schools in Vienna, Austria. SUBJECTS: A sample of 2949 ethnically diverse adolescents with mean age 17.3 (sd 1.7) years. An FFQ was used to assess usual FV consumption. Data on mass media exposure and sociodemographic characteristics were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to control for potentially confounding variables. RESULTS: Adolescents who reported exposure to nutrition information provided by booklets, the Internet or newspaper articles were more likely to eat FV daily. For example, the OR for daily fruit consumption (ORfru) was 1.6 (P < 0.001) when exposure to the Internet was reported after adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, BMI and salary. No such associations were found for radio, television and magazines as sources of nutrition information. A negative impact on daily FV consumption was found for exposure to radio commercials (ORfru = 0.74, P = 0.04 and ORveg = 0.67, P = 0.03). Exposure to TV commercials had a negative impact on vegetable consumption (ORveg = 0.81, P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Newspaper articles, the Internet and booklets as a source of nutrition information are positively associated with daily FV consumption among adolescents, whereas radio commercials have a negative impact. Dissemination of 'healthy eating' slogans should make use of print media and the Internet.
Authors: Marialaura Bonaccio; Augusto Di Castelnuovo; Simona Costanzo; Francesca De Lucia; Marco Olivieri; Maria Benedetta Donati; Giovanni de Gaetano; Licia Iacoviello; Americo Bonanni Journal: Int J Public Health Date: 2011-12-21 Impact factor: 3.380