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Column
| Indivudalised Nutrition information leaves a lasting impression |
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Food and nutrition information is becoming increasingly individualised. The experts agree that mass media educational campaigns alone are not enough to change the public's eating habits. These campaigns are a good aid for increasing public awareness, but if you really want to effect change, you need to take it a step further. Food and nutrition information is a process: people do not suddenly switch over to a healthier diet because of a campaign.
In Limburg, we have gained a good deal of promising experience with custom-made nutrition advice: the Heartbeat Limburg project, for example, was designed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. People were invited to fill in questionnaires regarding their eating habits and were asked about their possible motivation to make changes. Everything was fed into the computer, which churned out personalised nutrition advice. As it turned out, even three-quarters of the men, a group not normally so interested in nutrition, turned in the questionnaire.
It has been established that this personal advice can result in behavioural changes. It would be ideal if we could make that personalised nutrition advice available on Internet. We are currently discussing the prospect with the Netherlands Heart Foundation. Personalised information through a website makes it possible to reach the general public, yet as individuals. Mass campaigns wilt continue to play a role, but if you really want to create change, then more interpersonal communication is the key.
This column has been written by Hans Brug, extraordinary professor of eating behaviour at the University of Maastricht. It has been published in Cosun in Business, June 2002.<<< back
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