Goal-Framing and Temporal-Framing: Effects on the Acceptance of Childhood Simple Obesity Prevention Messages among Preschool Children’s Caregivers in China

Abstract

A range of intervention models are available for childhood obesity prevention; however, few studies have examined the effectiveness of intervention messages. This study developed childhood simple obesity prevention messages on the basis of goal-framing and temporal-framing effects to improve message acceptance among the caregivers of preschool children and explored associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 592 caregivers of preschool children in urban kindergartens in China during March to April 2019. The framing messages were developed based on prospect theory and construal level theory. The majority (48.4%) of caregivers found the gain-framed, present-oriented message most salient for acceptance. We found that gender, education background, theme, and the use of negative words have impacts on goal-framing effects; and previous participation in a health related intervention, career category, and the theme have impacts on temporal-framing effects (p < 0.001). Goal-framing effects and temporal-framing effects can influence each other (p < 0.001). The findings suggest that the gain-framed, present-oriented message could be considered a strategy to improve the acceptance of information by caregivers. When framing a message, subtle differences like using negative words might affect the exertion of framing effects.

Factors Associated With Influential Health-Promoting Messages on Social Media: Content Analysis of Sina Weibo

“…Furthermore, many previous investigations support our conclusion. A cross-sectional study of 592 caregivers of preschool children found that gain-framed messages could significantly improve the acceptance of information by caregivers [ 25 ]. Romanowich and Lamb [ 50 ] posited that health education using gain-framed messages could be more useful for nonsmokers.…”

“…Through discussion, they found that obesity-related, smoking-related, and cancer-related health themes were mentioned more in the literature and that the public paid high attention to them. Combined with the previous research of our group [ 25 ], we ultimately chose “childhood obesity,” “smoking,” and “cancer” as keywords.…”

“…Social media has broken through the limitations of traditional media and made these strategies easier to use. A previous health information survey on child obesity [ 25 ] verified that framing effects could significantly change the audience's attitude toward information. Whether these strategies, especially the framing effects, contribute to the impact of health-promoting messages on the Weibo platform is worth studying.…”

“…Visuals [ 36 ] refer to adding descriptive pictures or videos to a Weibo message. Through literature review and the research completed by our group [ 25 , 37 ], we found that visuals [ 38 , 39 ] and statistics [ 39 ] were two important message features that can be combined with framing effects to affect the influence of health messages. It is easy for users to detect pictures, videos, or precise numbers in Weibo messages, and it is also easy for message creators to add this content to Weibo messages.…”

Global Community Child Health

“…The 14 accepted articles are global in their reach, with papers from all five inhabited continents. Physical activity appears to be a key component of the scientific community's current conception of child well-being judging from the four papers published addressing this area [5][6][7][8]. Of course, given the global obesity epidemic, this will remain an important issue for community child health, though given the obesogenic environment we all face following societal nutrition transition we suspect the answers to this lie further upstream in the food industry's regulatory framework [9].…”