Eating Healthy is... Rebellious?

Getting kids to eat healthfully has always been a challenge for parents—apparently to the point of “trying anything.” In a new report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team from the University of Chicago has analyzed how harnessing teenage rebellion can be used to motivate healthier eating.

According to Food & Wine  the research team educated a a group of eighth graders on strategies that Big Food employs to manipulate consumers into making bad food choices. Namely through the use of addictive seasonings and targeted marketing to young children and people with low-incomes.  

“We framed healthy eating as a way to ‘stick it to the man’—we cast the executives behind food marketing as controlling adult authority figures and framed the avoidance of junk food as a way to rebel against their control.”

— Researcher Christopher J. Bryan of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Adolescent rebellion is by definition, temporary. It lasts through - well - adolescence.  What happens once the teen rebellion ends?  Do young adults return to their old eating habits as their anger at “the man” subsides? Do we honestly believe that demonizing food companies will result in sustainable behavior change?  

We can't help but wonder about the effects that basic nutrition education would have on the same group.  Imagine providing middle schoolers with nutrition education that demonstrates the effects that good food choices can have on quality of life and long term health.  That's so much more than rebellion.  That's revolution. 

Fighting Misconceptions About Health

A recent report found that 75% of Americans say they have a good diet.  So why are more than 70% of Americans over the age of 20 overweight?  Why is there such a gap between what people believe about their diets and reality?

The billions of dollars spent every year advertising junk food may be one cause, but it’s also true that many Americans simply don’t understand the basics of good nutrition. They don’t know what is healthy and what is not.

Education, as always, is the key. Consumers need to learn  what comprises healthy diet, how to read a food label, what to feed their children, and portion control.  The key is education, and the messengers are health influencers.  You are the front line to fighting misconceptions about health in America.

The Other Side of Complexity

One of my all-time favorite quotes comes from Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, who said: “For the simplicity that lies this side of complexity, I would not give a fig, but for the simplicity that lies on the other side of complexity, I would give my life."

I think about this quote frequently, but it came to my mind again earlier this month when I read a Reuters article about bite counters. These devices, worn on the wrist, use motion to track the number of bites people take while eating. While they won’t help you eat healthier food, these devices, according to the Clemson University researchers who developed them, could provide much needed self-monitoring and feedback to people looking to lose or manage their weight.

Reading about bite counters, it’s hard not to think of the monsoon of health & wellness information we are inundated with on a daily basis. Information that can be arcane, complex and often contradictory. For the average American who is simply looking to take small steps every day toward a healthier lifestyle, this information can be overwhelming—and often discouraging.  

Instead of contributing to the monsoon, why don’t we resolve to teach Americans the basics about nutrition and how to read a food label for themselves. Instead of promoting a fad diet or device, let’s teach them about basic cooking techniques and the value of a walk.  

Sure, teaching Americans the fundamentals of nutrition and physical fitness isn’t easy, nor is it particularly flashy. It requires expertise, patience and persistence. Many marketers may think that a compelling, but potentially misleading health claim or hitching their brand to a current fad is the better business move. But how has that worked out so far?

Let marketers know what you think, contact us at kevinm@pulseconnect.me to share your insights.

The 4 Keys to Patient Education

A local integrative medicine practice here in Chapel Hill offers regular seminars for their patients and the community. Last week, I attended one on the broad topic of integrative medicine and nutrition—a tough topic to cover in just one hour. But in addition to teaching me some new information, the seminar was beneficial in that it reinforced how challenging it can be to educate consumers about nutrition and health.

Translating often complicated science into easy-to-understand and actionable information for the layperson can be difficult. The seminar led me to reflect on how we create educational materials here at Pulse, and the four keys to effective health and wellness education that guide our efforts.

1. What is the need?

Far too often, health and wellness information is presented as universal truths applicable to anyone anywhere who wants to be healthy. The truth is that our health and wellness needs are incredibly personalized and unique. We may be seeking to simply lead a healthier life, but we may also be looking to prevent or manage a specific condition. The first goal of any health and wellness education should be to clearly and concisely define the need, providing consumers with the ability to determine if the information is relevant to them.

2. What solution is being recommended and how does it work?

Once the need is clearly defined, we want to introduce the solution—or in many cases, solutions. More importantly, we want to explain the “why” and “how” behind the solution. We call this the “biorationale” and the need for this explanation comes from the fact that once a consumer has their health awareness heightened, they want more information, not less. Providing a cogent and understandable explanation that translates complicated science into easy-to-understand language is critical to driving real and lasting behavior change.  

3.  How is the solution applied?

In other words: how much, when, with what, and so on. This key focuses on helping the consumer understand how to incorporate this solution into their daily life and the specific parameters required to achieve the desired positive health benefit. Frequently, this key involves consulting a health professional, which is why face-to-face interactions between a health professional and a consumer are a great way to share this type of education.

4. Which brand and why?

Last, but not least, we want to ensure that we are providing a specific and compelling brand recommendation that will be reinforced by the health and wellness influencer. Here we can focus on a brand’s features and benefits, and its points of differentiation, to ensure we are driving the path to purchase. Year after year for more than 17 years, health and wellness professionals have told us that their patients and clients ask for specific brand recommendations. Providing this information meets the needs of both the professional and the consumer, as I saw at the seminar last week.

Once the topic of essential fatty acids was discussed, a hand popped up from the crowd. “What does that look like… Are there brands that you would suggest?” The host of the seminar answered with a branded recommendation and explanation. As she attempted to continue her speech she was interrupted by another attendee, “Is that at [a local grocery store]? Can I get it through Amazon?”

These are the questions that you, the health and wellness influencer, are asked everyday.  Our goal is to give you the tools you need to answer them.