The Effects of a National Mass-Media Campaign on Youth

Abstract

A large body of evidence demonstrates that an adequate intake of calcium-rich dairy products such as milk is necessary to maintain good health, particularly for young people [1][2][3]. Black et al.,[4] analyzed the full bone fracture histories of 50 children (30 girls and 20 boys, 3-13 years) who had avoided drinking cow milk for prolonged periods. Their results showed that young children, who habitually avoid drinking cow milk, without substituting other calcium-rich foods, are at greater risk of fractures and of becoming overweight. Based on this evidence, it has been suggested that a sufficient calcium intake during adolescence will ensure adequate bone growth. *Corresponding author: Naoko Ono, International Liberal Arts, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, Tel: +81 8065041235; E-mail: na-ono@juntendo.ac.jp Japanese people traditionally have lower intakes of calcium than people from many western countries. The Dietary Standards of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare [5] states a desirable average calcium intake for Japanese people. For people 12-29 years old, the estimated calcium requirement is 648-821 mg/day for males and 553-670 mg/day for females. However, the estimated calcium requirement for those aged 7-19 is 578-711 mg/day for males and 493-623 for females. These data demonstrate the importance of increasing calcium intake of Japanese young people. The national health campaign Healthy Japan 21 [6] that started in 2000 suggested that consuming dairy products such as milk contributes to calcium intake. Healthy Japan 21 aimed to increase the average daily dairy product intake for adults from 107 g (based on data from 2000) to more than 130 g by 2010. Campaigns that promote positive changes in dietary behavior regarding dairy products such as milk have great potential for improving public health.Campaigns that encourage positive dietary behavior changes are implemented in many countries. For example, "Got Milk?" and "3-A-Day" were campaigns in the United States that aimed to improve public health by promoting dairy product consumption [7]. The 3-A-day campaign advocated three servings of milk, cheese, or yogurt per day for optimum nutrition, including calcium. Although the 3-A-Day campaign originated in the United States in 2003, it has now been extended to six countries, including Japan in 2004. However, the 3-A-Day campaign in Japan does not have a specific target audience, and there are no television advertisements for this campaign in Japan. There are no published reports of the effects of this campaign on awareness, attitude, intention or behavior. In Japan, although several media campaigns have been implemented, there is a lack of research evaluating campaigns that promote changes in dietary behavior. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of a nation-wide mass-media campaign, "Ask Milk", which aimed to increase fluid milk consumption in Japan using a social marketing approach. Theoretical Backgrounds The theory of planned behaviorThe Theory of Planned Behavio...