Sugar smackdown : a project to reduce sugar intake among primary school children

• Main Authors: Tan, Daphne Su Yin, Farah Diyanah Abdul Fattar, Yeong, Kar Yan, Yong, Mun Weng
• Other Authors: Shin Wonsun
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/63357
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In recent years, the issue of sugar over-consumption has become a growing concern for authorities and health professionals. This applied research aims to investigate the sugar consumption patterns of children and influencers of intention to reduce sugar intake. In Study One, a pen-and-paper survey was conducted on 432 primary school children, aged 9 to 12, to investigate the predictors of intention to reduce sugar intake based on the Integrated Behavioural Model (IBM). Results from this study provided insights into the tailoring of sugar interventions for young children. Findings indicate that self-efficacy and perceived control are the greatest predictors of intention to reduce sugar, while knowledge is also negatively associated with sugar intake. Study Two involved the design of an intervention workshop, where 411 primary school children in the same age group took part in an applied experiment where the children in intervention group were exposed to a 2 to 3 hour health intervention programme. The programme was held over the course of one week, before and after which the children were surveyed. The results showed that the programme was effective in influencing four target dependent variables, self-efficacy, perceived control, intention, knowledge. We also found that male characters in the message materials were preferred over female characters, especially for younger subjects. From this, we draw implications regarding ways to improve the future efficacy of health education and campaigns in school.