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The university environment: a comprehensive assessment of health‐related advertisements

Katie Szymona (Food & Nutrition Department, Clara Maass Medical Center, Saint Barnabas Health Care System, Belleville, New Jersey, USA)
Virginia Quick (Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA)
Melissa Olfert (Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA)
Karla Shelnutt (Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA)
Kendra K. Kattlemann (Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Hospitality, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA)
Onikia Brown‐Esters (Department of Nutrition Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA)
Sarah E. Colby (Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA)
Christina Beaudoin (Department of Movement Science, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, USA)
Jocelyn Lubniewski (Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA)
Angelina Moore Maia (Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA)
Tanya Horacek (Department of Public Health, Food Studies and Nutrition, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA)
Carol Byrd‐Bredbenner (Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA)

Health Education

ISSN: 0965-4283

Article publication date: 12 October 2012

1156

Abstract

Purpose

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Little is known about health‐related advertising on university environments. Given the power of advertising and its potential effect on health behaviors, the purpose of this paper is to assess the health‐related advertisement environment and policies on university campuses.

Design/methodology/approach

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In total, ten geographically and ethnically diverse US university campuses that were trained in using the health‐related advertisement survey tool participated in the study. Inter‐rater reliability with data collectors at each university was established before data commencement began in Spring 2011. The survey tool assessed the types, locations, and prevalence of health‐related advertisements and messages (e.g. nutrition, alcohol, tobacco) on campus, and included both advertisements and messages related to any aspect of health by any sponsor. Current campus health‐related policies from each institution were collected as well.

Findings

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The largest proportion of advertisements on all campuses were for diet/nutrition, exercise/fitness, and alcohol. The majority of advertisements promoted positive health behaviors recommended by health professionals. Unbranded advertisements were more likely to promote positive health behaviors than branded advertisements. Diet/nutrition, tobacco, and drug advertisements were more likely to be positive, whereas alcohol‐related advertisements tended to be negative.

Originality/value

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The paper's findings indicate significant gaps in campus health‐related policies with regard to healthy eating and physical activity and lack of policies covering health‐related advertisement content. Benchmark data like those reported here can help campus stakeholders set priorities and work with campus decision makers to advocate for the development and implementation of healthy campus policies that support healthy environments.

Keywords

Citation

Szymona, K., Quick, V., Olfert, M., Shelnutt, K., Kattlemann, K.K., Brown‐Esters, O., Colby, S.E., Beaudoin, C., Lubniewski, J., Moore Maia, A., Horacek, T. and Byrd‐Bredbenner, C. (2012), "The university environment: a comprehensive assessment of health‐related advertisements", Health Education, Vol. 112 No. 6, pp. 497-512. https://doi.org/10.1108/09654281211275845

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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