Health Education Research, Vol. 16, No. 3, 343-355,
June 2001
© 2001 Oxford University Press
Mass education for obesity prevention: the penetration of the BBC's `Fighting Fat, Fighting Fit' campaign
Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Health Behaviour Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 2–16 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT and
1 BBC Education, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS, UK
The study aimed to evaluate the BBC's `Fighting Fat, Fighting Fit' campaign's success in achieving public awareness of the need for obesity prevention, and putting over its message of healthy eating and increased physical activity. Demographic factors associated with awareness of the campaign were assessed. Data were collected from a national representative British sample as part of the ONS Omnibus survey in March 1999. Questions included weight and height, recognition of the campaign name, recall of the content of the campaign, and participation in the campaign registration scheme. More than half of the respondents had heard of the campaign and 30% recalled the healthy lifestyle messages, although fewer than 1% registered to participate in the scheme. Awareness of the campaign was high in all socio-economic groups, but memory for the healthy lifestyle message was significantly poorer in those with lower levels of education and from ethnic minority groups. Disappointingly, awareness was also no higher in overweight than normal weight respondents. The results strongly support the effectiveness of the campaign in publicizing the issue of increasing prevalence of obesity and the need for lifestyle change, but suggest that different approaches might be needed to maximize participation from groups most in need of lifestyle change.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  G. Judah, R. Aunger, W.-P. Schmidt, S. Michie, S. Granger, and V. Curtis Experimental Pretesting of Hand-Washing Interventions in a Natural Setting Am J Public Health, October 1, 2009; 99(S2): S405 - S411. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. Morley, M. Wakefield, S. Dunlop, and D. Hill Impact of a mass media campaign linking abdominal obesity and cancer: a natural exposure evaluation Health Educ. Res., July 1, 2009; (2009) cyp034v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Peterson, M. Chandlee, and A. Abraham Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Statewide Media Campaign to Promote Adolescent Physical Activity Health Promot Pract, October 1, 2008; 9(4): 426 - 433. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Dalziel and L. Segal Time to give nutrition interventions a higher profile: cost-effectiveness of 10 nutrition interventions Health Promot. Int., December 1, 2007; 22(4): 271 - 283. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Whitelaw and J. Watson Whither health promotion events? A judicial approach to evidence Health Educ. Res., April 1, 2005; 20(2): 214 - 225. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Miles, L. Rapoport, J. Wardle, T. Afuape, and M. Duman Using the mass-media to target obesity: an analysis of the characteristics and reported behaviour change of participants in the BBC's `Fighting Fat, Fighting Fit' campaign Health Educ. Res., June 1, 2001; 16(3): 357 - 372. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|