Design of a communication strategy to promote the use of warning labels among Mexican children and adolescents

Abstract

Objective. To describe the process used to design a communication strategy aimed at promoting the use of warning labels and choosing healthy foods among Mexican children and adolescents. Materials and methods. This was a four-phase study among school-aged children, adolescents, and caretakers: 1) formative research (18 focus groups, n= 179); 2) co-creation workshops with children and adolescents (n= 33); 3) design of the communication strategy, based on the COM-B model, and 4) pilot-testing (six focus groups, n= 52). Results. The communication strategy should improve the understanding of warning labels and the knowledge about the relation between critical ingredients (calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, sweeteners, and caffeine) and disease, highlight the favorable consequences of healthy eating and the negative effects of the excessive consumption of foods with warning labels, highlight that natural foods are cheaper and of better quality than foods with warning labels, and provide options of healthy and attractive food preparations with natural foods. Conclusion. Formative research and the participation of children and adolescents in the creation of the strategy were essential for the design of a culturally relevant strategy with impact potential. The process and results of this study may inform efforts in contexts similar to Mexico