Physical Activity: Stand-Alone Mass Media Campaigns

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Snapshot

Summary of Task Force Finding

The Community Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine whether stand-alone mass media campaigns increase physical activity at the population level. Studies reported modest and inconsistent effects.

Intervention

Stand-alone mass media campaigns use mass media channels to deliver messages about physical activity to large and relatively undifferentiated audiences. Campaigns are designed to do the following:

Increase awareness or knowledge of the benefits of physical activity
Influence attitudes and beliefs about physical activity
Change physical activity behaviors within defined populations

Messages are communicated through newspapers, brochures, manuals, radio, television, billboards, websites, or a combination of these.

Task Force Finding and Rationale Statement

Read the full Task Force Finding and Rationale Statement [PDF - 163 kB] for details including implementation issues, possible added benefits, potential harms, and evidence gaps.

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What the Task Force Found

About The Systematic Review

The Task Force finding is based on evidence from a Community Guide systematic review published in 202 (3 three studies, search period 1980-2000) combined with more recent evidence (13 studies, search period 2000-2009).

The systematic review was conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice, and policy related to increasing physical activity. This finding updates and replaces the 2001 Task Force finding on Mass Media Campaigns [PDF - 231 kB].

Context

There is no information for this section.

Summary of Results

More details about study results are available in the Task Force Finding and Rationale Statement [PDF - 163 kB].

Sixteen studies were included in the systematic review. Study duration ranged from one week to four years.

Proportion of people who reported being physically active (as defined within each study):
- Median increase of 3.4 percentage points (10 studies)
- Median increase of 6.7% (10 studies)
In three studies, people reported spending a median of 4.4% more time engaged in physical activity
In three different studies, people reported being more active as a result of a campaign, though increases were modest.

Summary of Economic Evidence

No cost-effectiveness studies were found. Several studies, however, reported costs of mass media campaigns. Costs ranged from $191,000 for a one-year campaign to $339 million for a four-year campaign.

Applicability

Applicability of this intervention across different settings and populations was not assessed because the Task Force did not have enough information to determine if the intervention works.

Evidence Gaps

Additional research and evaluation are needed in these areas, to fill existing gaps in the evidence base. (What are evidence gaps?)

Standard measures to document length of intervention, numbers of participants, and specifics of the intervention itself. These variables influence message awareness and can affect other related results.
Intermediate results other than awareness (e.g., knowledge, intentions, attitudes and beliefs)
Valid and reliable self-report measures, or ideally, more objective measures of physical activity
Harms, benefits, and potential safety issues of physical activity interventions, and cost-effectiveness, including benefits gained and type and amount of losses
The relationship between how often participants are exposed to the intervention and costs per media channel, segmented by results among target audiences
How often and by which methods a media campaign (e.g., Internet, billboards) is most effective for specific target audiences
Groups into which participants are divided (e.g., by age, geography) and how the intervention is tailored to participants’ needs and understanding
Reliable and valid measures for the spectrum of physical activity that includes moderate or light activity

Study Characteristics

The studies included controlled trials (three studies), cohort studies (5 studies), cross-sectional designs (5 studies), and single-group before–after designs (3 studies).
Three studies summarized results from CDC’s VERB campaign—a longitudinal, national mass media campaign conducted from 2002 to 2006 to increase physical activity among “tweens” aged 9 –13 years.

Publications

Brown DR, Soares J, Epping JM, et al. Stand-alone mass media campaigns to increase physical activity. A Community Guide updated review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2012;43(5):551–61.

Community Preventive Services Task Force. Stand-alone mass media campaigns to increase physical activity. Updated findings from the Community Preventive Services Task Force. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2012;43(5):562–4.

Supporting Materials

Analytic Framework

Analytic Framework [PDF - 216 kB] – see Figure 2 on page 553

Summary Evidence Table

Summary Evidence Table [PDF - 127 kB]

Included Studies

The number of studies and publications do not always correspond (e.g., a publication may include several studies or one study may be explained in several publications).

Bauman AE, Bellew B, Owen N, Vita P. Impact of an Australian mass media campaign targeting physical activity in 1998. Am J Prev Med 2001;21(1):41-7.

Bauman A, McLean G, Hurdle D, et al. Evaluation of the national 'Push Play' campaign in New Zealand--creating population awareness of physical activity. N Z Med J 2003;116(1179):U535.

Beaudoin CE, Fernandez C, Wall JL, Farley TA. Promoting healthy eating and physical activity short-term effects of a mass media campaign. Am J Prev Med 2007;32(3):217-23.

Berkowitz JM, Huhman M, Nolin MJ. Did augmenting the VERB campaign advertising in select communities have an effect on awareness, attitudes, and physical activity? Am J Prev Med 2008;34(6 Suppl):S257-66.

Booth M, Bauman A, Oldenburg B, Owen N, Magnus P. Effects of a national mass-media campaign on physical activity participation. Health Promot Int 1992;7(4):241-7.

Craig CL, Tudor-Locke C, Bauman A. Twelve-month effects of Canada on the Move: a population-wide campaign to promote pedometer use and walking. Health Educ Res 2007;22(3):406-13.

Hillsdon M, Cavill N, Nanchahal K, Diamond A, White IR. National level promotion of physical activity: Results from England's ACTIVE for LIFE campaign. J Epidemiol Community Health 2001;55(10):755-61.

Huhman ME, Potter LD, Nolin MJ, et al. The Influence of the VERB campaign on children's physical activity in 2002 to 2006. Am J Public Health 2010;100(4):638-45.

Jason LA, Greiner BJ, Naylor K, Johnson SP, Van EL. A large-scale, short-term, media-based weight loss program. Am J Health Promot 1991;5(6):432-37.

John-Leader F, van Beurden E, Barnett L, et al. Multimedia campaign on a shoestring: promoting 'Stay Active - Stay Independent' among seniors. Health Promot J Austr 2008;19(1):22-8.

Merom D, Rissel C, Mahmic A, Bauman A. Process evaluation of the New South Wales Walk Safely to School Day. Health Promot J Austr 2005;16(2):100-6.

Meyer AJ, Nash JD, McAlister AL, Maccoby N, Farquhar JW. Skills training in a cardiovascular health education campaign. J Consult Clin Psychol 1980;48(2):129-42.

Miles A, Rapoport L, Wardle J, Afuape T, Duman M. Using the mass-media to target obesity: An analysis of the characteristics and reported behaviour change of participants in the BBC's 'Fighting Fat, Fighting Fit' campaign. Health Educ Res 2001;16(3):357-72.

Peterson M, Chandlee M, Abraham A. Cost-effectiveness analysis of a statewide media campaign to promote adolescent physical activity. Health Promot Pract 2008;9(4):426-33.

Price SM, Huhman M, Potter LD. Influencing the parents of children aged 9-13 yrs: findings from the VERB campaign. Am J Prev Med 2008;34(6 Suppl):S267-74.

Renger R, Steinfelt V, Lazarus S. Assessing the effectiveness of a community-based media campaign targeting physical inactivity. Fam Community Health 2002;25(3):18-30.

Additional Materials

There is no information for this section.

Search Strategies

Electronic literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, Campbell, Cochrane, NICE, Sociological Abstracts, AMED, and Enviroline databases. Also reviewed were references listed in all retrieved articles, as well as other identified review articles.

Only articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals were included. To be included in this review, studies were required to

Be published from 1998 through 2011
Present findings of original research published in English
Be conducted in a high-income economy
Be consistent with the systematic review development team’s definition for a stand-alone mass media campaign
Provide information on one or more outcomes related to the analytic framework that included a measure of physical activity
Compare a group or population exposed to the intervention with a group not exposed or less exposed (comparisons could be concurrent or in the same group over a period of time).

Two abstractors independently read and collected information on each article using an electronic abstraction form. Any disagreements between the reviewers were reconciled by consensus of the two lead scientists of this systematic review.

Review References

No information available for this section.

Considerations for Implementation

The Task Force did not have enough evidence to determine whether the intervention is or is not effective. This does not mean that the intervention does not work, but rather that additional research is needed to determine whether or not the intervention is effective.

Find a Research-tested Intervention Program this link is to an external website (RTIP) about the use of mass media campaigns to increase physical activity (What is an RTIP?).

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