References

Ajzen I, Fishbein M. The Influence of Attitudes on Behavior. In: Albarracín D, Johnson BT, Zanna MP (Eds). : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers; 2005

Alruwaily A, Mangold C, Greene T, Arshonsky J, Cassidy O, Pomeranz JL, Bragg M. Child Social Media Influencers and Unhealthy Food Product Placement. Pediatrics. 2020; 146:(5) https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-4057

Ash T, Agaronov A, Young T, Aftosmes-Tobio A, Davison KK. Family-based childhood obesity prevention interventions: a systematic review and quantitative content analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017; 14:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0571-2

Bandura A. Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychol Rev. 1977; 84:(2)191-215 https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-295x.84.2.191

Bandura A, Hall P. Albert bandura and social learning theory. Learning Theories For Early Years Practice. 2018;

Boerman SC, van Reijmersdal EA. Disclosing Influencer Marketing on YouTube to Children: The Moderating Role of Para-Social Relationship. Front Psychol. 2020; 10 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03042

Braun V, Clarke V. Thematic analysis. In: Cooper H, Camic PM, Long DL, Panter AT, Rindskopf D, Sher KJ (Eds). : American Psychological Association; 2012 https://doi.org/10.1037/13620-004

Buttriss JL. The Eatwell Guide refreshed. Nutr Bull. 2016; 41:(2)135-141 https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12211

Castelló-Martínez A, Tur-Viñes V. Obesity and food-related content aimed at children on YouTube. Clin Obes. 2020; 10 https://doi.org/10.1111/cob.12389

Chai LK, Collins C, May C, Brain K, Wong See D, Burrows T. Effectiveness of family-based weight management interventions for children with overweight and obesity: an umbrella review. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2019; 17:(7)1341-1427 https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003695

Coates AE, Hardman CA, Halford JCG, Christiansen P, Boyland EJ. Food and Beverage Cues Featured in YouTube Videos of Social Media Influencers Popular With Children: An Exploratory Study. Front Psychol. 2019; 10 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02142

Conner M, Norman P. Predicting long-term healthy eating behaviour: understanding the role of cognitive and affective attitudes. Psychol Health. 2021; 36:(10)1165-1181 https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2020.1832675

Childhood obesity: A plan for action, chapter 2.London: The Stationery Office; 2018

Department of Health and Social Care. New advertising rules to help tackle childhood obesity. 2021. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-advertising-rules-to-help-tackle-childhood-obesity (accessed 2 December 2021)

Folkvord F, Bevelander KE, Rozendaal E, Hermans R. Children's bonding with popular YouTube vloggers and their attitudes toward brand and product endorsements in vlogs: An explorative study. Young Consumers. 2019; 20:(2)77-90 https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-12-2018-0896

Fortin B, Yazbeck M. Peer effects, fast food consumption and adolescent weight gain. J Health Econ. 2015; 42:125-38 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2015.03.005

Kim EB, Chen C, Cheon BK. Using remote peers' influence to promote healthy food choices among preschoolers. Developmental Psychology. 2019; 55:(4)703-708 https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000669

Kim EB, Cheon BK, Chen C. Do drinking buddies matter for young children?: Preschoolers' conformity to remote peers' beverage choices. Cognitive Development. 2020;

Ladd GW. Peer relationships and social competence during early and middle childhood. Annu Rev Psychol. 1999; 50:333-59 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.50.1.333

Mollborn S, Lawrence E. Family, Peer, and School Influences on Children's Developing Health Lifestyles. J Health Soc Behav. 2018; 59:(1)133-150 https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146517750637

Mytton OT, Boyland E, Adams J, Collins B, O'Connell M, Russell SJ, Smith K, Stroud R, Viner RM, Cobiac LJ. The potential health impact of restricting less-healthy food and beverage advertising on UK television between 05.30 and 21.00 hours: A modelling study. PLoS Med. 2020; 17:(10) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003212

Neumann MM, Herodotou C. Young Children and YouTube: A global phenomenon, Childhood Education. 2020; 96:(4)72-77 https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2020.1796459

NHS. Change4Life. 2021. https://www.nhs.uk/change4life

Ofcom. Online overtakes TV as kids' top pastime [Online]. The Office of Communications. 2016. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/childrens-media-use

Powell LM, Harris JL, Fox T. Food marketing expenditures aimed at youth: putting the numbers in context. Am J Prev Med. 2013; 45:(4)453-461 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2013.06.003

Renert H, Russell-Mayhew S, Arthur N. Recruiting Ethnically Diverse Participants into Qualitative Health Research: Lessons Learned. The Qualitative Report. 2013; 18:(12)1-13 https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2013.1542

Sahoo K, Sahoo B, Choudhury AK, Sofi NY, Kumar R, Bhadoria AS. Childhood obesity: causes and consequences. J Family Med Prim Care. 2015; 4:(2)187-192 https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.154628

Soliman GA, Huang T. Causes of childhood obesity. Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence; ABC-CLIO.California, CA, USA2018

Story M, Lytle LA, Birnbaum AS, Perry CL. Peer-led, school-based nutrition education for young adolescents: feasibility and process evaluation of the TEENS study. J Sch Health. 2002; 72:(3)121-127 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2002.tb06529.x

Strangelove M. Watching YouTube.: University of Toronto Press; 2020

Surekha BC, Karanati K, Venkatesan K, Sreelekha BC, Kumar VD. E-Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Surge in Childhood Obesity [published online ahead of print, 2021 Jul 14]. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021; 1-7 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-02750-2

Tan L, Ng SH, Omar A, Karupaiah T. What's on YouTube? A Case Study on Food and Beverage Advertising in Videos Targeted at Children on Social Media. Child Obes. 2018; 14:(5)280-290 https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2018.0037

Thomson R, Berriman L, Bragg S. Researching everyday childhoods: Time, technology and documentation in a digital age.: Bloomsbury Publishing; 2018

Report of the commission on ending childhood obesity.: WHO; 2016

Using digital interventions to encourage healthy eating

02 December 2021
Volume 2 | British Journal of Child health · Issue 6

Abstract

Background:

YouTube content has become increasingly popular among children who are not only viewers but producers of this digital medium However, there is no research exploring the use of this medium to aid healthy behaviours.

Aims:

To evaluate how families responded to taking part in an online educational healthy eating intervention by creating YouTube-style digital vlogs.

Methods:

The intervention was delivered online to five families with child/ren aged between 6–16 years. Focus groups were conducted with the families after the intervention to explore their learning and experiences.

Findings:

The families indicated initial challenges in making the vlogs, however, there was evidence of child attitude change and sustained behavioural change as well as enhanced awareness for parents. The families produced vlogs which aimed to educate on and provide a challenge for healthy eating.

Conclusions:

This intervention shows great potential for delivering online public health interventions which engage the whole family in behavioural change.

Obesity among children and young people has been recognised as a serious and urgent challenge because of the lifelong consequences on health and wellbeing (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016). The global epidemic can be explained by a multitude of environmental factors (Soliman and Huang, 2018). However, excessive sugar intake, increased portion size, and a decline in physical activity have been playing major roles in rising rates around the world (Sahoo et al, 2015). In England it is estimated that 1 in 5 children aged 4–5 years and 1 in 3 children aged 10–11 years are overweight or obese (Department of Health [DH], 2018). Additionally, evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has made this situation worse (Surekha et al, 2021). The rise of e-learning meant an increase in screen time and sedentary lifestyle, and an increase in unhealthy snacking. This needs to be addressed or obesity will lead to profound long-term complications.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Journal of Child Health and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for children’s health professionals. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Limited access to our clinical or professional articles

  • New content and clinical newsletter updates each month