Oral Presentation ANZOS Annual Scientific Meeting 2021

Experimental assessment of potential unintended impacts of healthy weight and lifestyle campaigns among Australian adults (#112)

Michelle Jongenelis 1 , Belinda Morley 2 , Maree Scully 2 , Helen Dixon 1 2 3
  1. Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences., The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  2. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  3. School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia

Background/Aims: Concerns have been raised that healthy weight and lifestyle campaigns could have unintended negative psychological or behavioural consequences. This study tested potential adverse reactions to healthy weight and lifestyle campaign advertisements among a sample of Australian adults.

Methods: In an online between-subjects experiment, N=2,208 adults from WA and Victoria (LiveLighter® states) were randomly assigned to view one of five advertisements: ‘Toxic fat’ or ‘Sugary drinks’ (from the LiveLighter® campaign, employing graphic imagery to illustrate negative health consequences of overweight), ‘Become a swapper’ or ‘How to swap it’ (from the Swap it ‘campaign, employing animation and light-hearted messaging), or a control advertisement (HSBC Bank). A supplementary control group of n=440 adults from SA (non-LiveLighter® state) also viewed the control advertisement. After viewing their assigned advertisement, participants’ behavioural intentions, internalised weight bias, anti-fat attitudes, self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction were assessed.

Results: Exposure to each of the healthy weight advertisements prompted significantly greater intention to engage in adaptive lifestyle behaviours compared to viewing the control advertisement (p<0.05). Intention to engage in maladaptive behaviours (e.g., skipping meals) was low and did not differ between advertisement conditions. Respondents who saw LiveLighter® ‘Sugary drinks’ reported higher anti-fat attitudes than those who saw the control advertisement (p<0.05); however mean scores were at the low end of the 9 point scale (M=3.89, SD=1.64). None of the healthy weight and lifestyle campaign advertisements promoted internalised weight bias, reduced self-esteem or body dissatisfaction.

Conclusions: Overall, the healthy weight and lifestyle advertisements performed favourably compared to the control advertisement on intended outcomes and showed no clear evidence of adverse impacts. Findings suggest that campaigns like LiveLighter® and Swap it can continue to be used safely in public health efforts addressing poor diet, inactivity and obesity.