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Communicating evidence about the causes of obesity and support for obesity policies: Two population-based survey experiments

Reynolds, J.P.; Vasiljevic, M.; Pilling, M.; Hall, M.G.; Ribisl, K.M.; Marteau, T.M.

Communicating evidence about the causes of obesity and support for obesity policies: Two population-based survey experiments Thumbnail


Authors

J.P. Reynolds

M. Pilling

M.G. Hall

K.M. Ribisl

T.M. Marteau



Abstract

Public support for numerous obesity policies is low, which is one barrier to their implementation. One reason for this low support is the tendency to ascribe obesity to failings of willpower as opposed to the environment. Correlational evidence supports this position. However, the experimental evidence is mixed. In two experimental studies, participants were randomised to receive no message, messages about the environment’s influence on obesity (Study 1 & 2), or messages about the environment’s influence on human behaviour (Study 1). We investigated whether communicating these messages changed support for obesity policies and beliefs about the causes of obesity. Participants were recruited from nationally representative samples in Great Britain (Study 1 & 2) and the USA (Study 2) (total n = 4391). Study 2 was designed to replicate existing research. Neither study found evidence that communicating the messages increased support for obesity policies or strengthened beliefs about the environment’s role in obesity. Study 2, therefore, did not replicate two earlier experimental studies. Instead, the studies reported here suggest that people’s beliefs about the causes of obesity are resistant to change in response to evidence and are, therefore, not a promising avenue to increase support for obesity policies.

Citation

Reynolds, J., Vasiljevic, M., Pilling, M., Hall, M., Ribisl, K., & Marteau, T. (2020). Communicating evidence about the causes of obesity and support for obesity policies: Two population-based survey experiments. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), Article 6539. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186539

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 3, 2020
Online Publication Date Sep 8, 2020
Publication Date Sep 2, 2020
Deposit Date Sep 4, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Print ISSN 1661-7827
Electronic ISSN 1660-4601
Publisher MDPI
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 17
Issue 18
Article Number 6539
DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186539

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