Poster #108 - The Influence of Social-Norm versus Health Messages on Preschool and Elementary-School Children's Food Choices

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Health, Growth, Injury

Integrative Statement

The present study examined the influence of nutrition messages on preschool and elementary-school children’s food choices. While social-norm and health messages have been shown to impact elementary-school children’s food choices (Sharps & Robinson, 2016), no previous study has examined how types of nutrition messages impact preschoolers. But preschool children’s food choices are important because they have been shown to last into adulthood (Mikkilä, Räsänen, Raitakari, Pietinen, & Viikari, 2005; te Velde, Twisk, & Brug, 2007). One hundred twenty participants, 60 preschool (ages 34-71 months, M = 51.83) and 60 elementary-school children (ages 89-125 months, M =107.41) were assigned to social-norm, health, or control message groups. A board game was adapted from Sharps & Robinson (2016) to deliver nutrition messages to each group. After playing, children were offered a choice of healthy or unhealthy snack; the food choice and grams consumed were recorded. It was hypothesized that the social-norm messages would have a greater impact than health messages (Sharps & Robinson, 2015), and that elementary-school children would be more impacted than preschoolers (Piaget & Inhelder, 1969). While most participants (68.3%) chose an unhealthy snack, analyses determined that more children in the social-norm (45%) and health message groups (37.5%) than control message group (12.5%) chose healthy snacks,  (2, N = 120) = 10.71, p = .005. Social-norm (M = 40.68, SD = 35.65) and health message groups (M = 44.93, SD = 44.07), also consumed more grams than the control message group (M = 22.73, SD = 27.07), F(2, 117) = 4.22, p = .017. Elementary-school children (38.3%) chose healthy snacks more often than preschoolers (25%); significant differences were found between the mean number of grams consumed by developmental level, t(118) = -2.70, p < .001. The mean number of grams consumed by preschool children was found to be M = 27.15 (SD = 28.97). The mean number of grams consumed by elementary-school children was found to be M = 45.07 (SD = 42.36). Contrary to expectations, both types of nutrition messages were equally impactful for elementary-school children and no effects on preschool children were found. Elementary-school children, more cognitively advanced than preschoolers, were better able to process and use the nutrition messages when making decisions about food choice. Developmental differences were attributed to preschool children’s lack of executive control (Carlson, 2005).

Authors

• Fran O'Connor, California State University, Stanislaus
  Presenting Author

• Rita Asher, California State University, Stanislaus
  Non-Presenting Author