The impact of a community social marketing campaign on children’s meal orders and consumption: main outcomes from a group randomised controlled trial

Abstract

AbstractObjective:Restaurants may be important settings for interventions to reduce children’s energy intake. The objective of this study was to test the impact of a parent-focused social marketing campaign to promote healthy children’s meals on calories ordered and consumed by children at quick-service restaurants (QSR).Design:Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, two urban communities were randomised to intervention (IN)v. control (C) condition. A community-wide social marketing campaign was implemented in the IN community to empower Black and Latinx mothers who frequent QSR (priority population) to select healthier options for their child.Setting:Data were collected in 2016 at QSR located within the communities pre- and post-IN and analysed in 2017.Participants:Parents (n1686;n819 andn867 for I and C conditions, respectively) were recruited after placing their QSR order; a survey, receipt and their child’s leftovers were collected.Results:Calories ordered did not differ significantly between the IN and C conditions (changeadj= –146·4 kJ (–35·0 kcal); 95 % CI –428·0 kJ (–102·3 kcal), 134·6 kJ (32·2 kcal)). In a sub-analysis of only the priority audience, children in the IN community ordered significantly fewer calories compared to C children in unadjusted models (changeunadj= –510·4 kJ (–122·0 kcal); 95 % CI –1013·4 kJ (–242·2 kcal), –7·5 kJ (–1·8 kcal)), but the trend did not persist after adjusting for covariates (changeadj= –437·2 kJ (–104·5 kcal); 95 % CI –925·5 kJ (–221·2 kcal), 50·6 kJ (12·1 kcal)). Calories consumed followed similar trends.Conclusion:The campaign did not significantly reduce children’s QSR calories ordered or consumed. However, a quantitatively important mean reduction in calories was suggested among the priority audience, indicating potential for community-wide promotion of healthful children’s meals.