Mass education for obesity prevention: the penetration of the BBC's `Fighting Fat, Fighting Fit' campaign

Abstract

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.

The impact of a national mass media campaign in The Netherlands on the prevention of weight gain

“…Compared with census data, the present study included a somewhat higher percentage of people of Dutch origin 33,34 . The high levels of campaign awareness were comparable to those found in other studies that used so-called 'small mass media', such as radio commercials, brochures and other promotion materials 20,35,36 . The present study shows that campaign awareness and message recall were 35 .…”

“…The high levels of campaign awareness were comparable to those found in other studies that used so-called 'small mass media', such as radio commercials, brochures and other promotion materials 20,35,36 . The present study shows that campaign awareness and message recall were 35 . In contrast to that study however, the present study did not show that campaign awareness and message recall were lower in lower educated respondents.…”

Public Awareness of Genetic Influence on Chronic Disease Risk: Are Genetic and Lifestyle Causal Beliefs Compatible?

“…The Omnibus Survey is a monthly, multipurpose survey for use by government and nonprofit making organizations, which uses stratified random probability sampling to select households for a home visit. Previous Office of National Statistics Omnibus Surveys have been used to address a range of health-related issues, including obesity [15], oral health [16] and health status [17]. For the present study, we included a series of questions in the September 2002 Omnibus Survey.…”

A mixed methods evaluation of televised health promotion advertisements targeted at older adults

“…Yet, when compared to the overall population, even television campaigns aimed at seniors may not be reaching a majority of the target audience. In a campaign aimed at the general population, BBC's Fighting Fat, Fighting Fit Campaign, adults aged 65 years and over had the lowest levels of awareness, recollection of having seen a television ad, and lowest recall of a healthy eating (10.9%) or physical activity (7.3%) message within the campaign compared to any other age group (Wardle, Rapoport, Miles, Afuape, & Duman, 2001). …”