1% or less: a community-based nutrition campaign

Abstract

Objective: The authors evaluated the effectiveness of a community education campaign to encourage a switch from high-fat (whole and 2%) milk to low-fat (1%, 1/2%, and skim) milk as a way to reduce consumption of saturated fat.

Methods: Milk sales data were collected from supermarkets in the intervention and comparison communities for three one-month time periods: at baseline, immediately following the campaign, and six months after the campaign. In addition, trained volunteers conducted pre- and post-intervention telephone surveys.

Results: Overall milk sales increased by 16% in the intervention cities following the campaign and remained high at follow-up. Low-fat milk's market share increased from 18% of overall milk sales at baseline to 41% of overall milk sales in the month following the end of the campaign, an increase in market share that was sustained at the six-month follow-up. In the post-intervention telephone survey, 38.2% of those respondents who reported drinking high-fat milk at baseline reported having switched to low-fat milk.

Conclusion: A focused message communicated through paid advertising, public relations activities, and community-based education programs increased low-fat and overall milk consumption in one community.