Alice Binder1, Brigitte Naderer1,2, Jörg Matthes1. 1. Department of Communication, Advertising and Media Effects Research Group, University of Vienna, Währingerstr. 29, 1090Vienna, Austria. 2. Department of Media and Communication, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Oettingenstr., 6780538Munich, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Despite extensive research on framing effects in public health communication, there is still a lack of knowledge on how gain frames v. loss frames can encourage healthy eating behaviour among children. DESIGN: Drawing on the Prospect Theory as well as on the Reactivity of Embedded Food Cues in Advertising Model, an experiment exposed children to an audio-visual cartoon movie with gain-framed nutritional messages about eating fruit (gain condition), loss-framed nutritional messages about eating fruit (loss condition) or a message without any food (control group). Children's fruit intake was measured as the dependent variable. Children's awareness of gain- and loss-framed arguments was treated as mediators, while children's age and parents' self-reported food-related mediation styles were modelled as moderators. SETTING: Vienna, Austria, in 2018. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 6-10 years (N 161). RESULTS: Children in the gain frame group were more aware of gain-framed arguments, and children in the loss frame group were more aware of loss-framed arguments than those in the control group. However, only the mediator awareness of gain-framed arguments increased fruit intake. Additionally, there was a direct effect of the gain-framed message on fruit intake compared to the control group. The loss condition did not reveal such an effect. Neither parent's food-related mediation styles nor children's age moderated those results. CONCLUSION: Gain-framing seems to be more effective in influencing children's healthy food choices compared to loss-framing. Implications for health communication strategies aimed at children are discussed.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: Despite extensive research on framing effects in public health communication, there is still a lack of knowledge on how gain frames v. loss frames can encourage healthy eating behaviour among children. DESIGN: Drawing on the Prospect Theory as well as on the Reactivity of Embedded Food Cues in Advertising Model, an experiment exposed children to an audio-visual cartoon movie with gain-framed nutritional messages about eating fruit (gain condition), loss-framed nutritional messages about eating fruit (loss condition) or a message without any food (control group). Children's fruit intake was measured as the dependent variable. Children's awareness of gain- and loss-framed arguments was treated as mediators, while children's age and parents' self-reported food-related mediation styles were modelled as moderators. SETTING: Vienna, Austria, in 2018. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 6-10 years (N 161). RESULTS:Children in the gain frame group were more aware of gain-framed arguments, and children in the loss frame group were more aware of loss-framed arguments than those in the control group. However, only the mediator awareness of gain-framed arguments increased fruit intake. Additionally, there was a direct effect of the gain-framed message on fruit intake compared to the control group. The loss condition did not reveal such an effect. Neither parent's food-related mediation styles nor children's age moderated those results. CONCLUSION: Gain-framing seems to be more effective in influencing children's healthy food choices compared to loss-framing. Implications for health communication strategies aimed at children are discussed.
Entities:
Keywords:
Age; Children; Fruit intake; Healthy food placements; Parental mediation