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Evaluation of the 2008 NSW Water Campaign
Author(s) -
Orr Neil,
Milat Andrew J.,
Lin Ming,
Neville Leonie,
Develin Liz
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1071/he10114
Subject(s) - consumption (sociology) , environmental health , medicine , obesity , public health , social science , nursing , sociology
Issue addressed The consumption of soft and other sweetened drinks is an emerging nutrition issue in Australia. In 20056, 63% of NSW children aged between 2 and 15 years consumed sweetened drinks (soft drinks, cordials or sports drinks) weekly, 33% of which consumed at least 6 cups per week. In 2008 NSW Health implemented the ‘Water Campaign’ to increase the proportion of NSW children up to 15 years of age who consume water in place of sweetened drinks. Methods A prepost survey study design was used to evaluate the Campaign. Two telephone surveys of stratified random samples of 500 respondents each from the primary target audience (parents and carers of children up to 15 years of age) were conducted across NSW. Results Fiftythree per cent of respondents in the postsurvey said that they recalled the mass media Campaign when it was described to them compared to 19% in the presurvey. There was an increase in parents' knowledge of the high sugar content of sweetened drinks and a decline in the reported consumption of sweetened drinks by boys. Conclusions Though modest in size and duration, the campaign was successful in achieving a number of campaign objectives, particularly changes in parent's and carer's knowledge and awareness of water related nutrition and reduced reported consumption of sweetened drinks among boys. So what There is merit in further investment in strategies to reduce sweetened drink consumption by children. Further campaigns should be of increased intensity and duration and be accompanied by comprehensive evaluations that can assess whether the positive results achieved in this small campaign can be replicated.