Improving Social Media’s Reach to Promote Healthy Behaviors among Parents of SNAP-Eligible Preschoolers

Background

• Social media is a popular source of nutrition and lifestyle information
• 97% of US 18-29 year olds own smart phones (lower in lowest income bracket)
• 84% of US young adults use social media

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Pew Research Center, 2024: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/

Pew Research Center, 2023: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/12/06/internet-smartphone-and-social-media-use-in-advanced-economies-2022/

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Evidence for Efficacy of Digital Interventions

• Many studies have shown efficacy of digital and social media interventions on health outcomes
• Some outcomes: weight loss or maintenance, blood sugar control, dietary quality, physical activity
• Mixed results (some positive, negative, neutral)

Goodyear et al. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2021;

Dumas et al. J Med Internet Res. 2018;

https://www.thecommunityguide.org/pages/tffrs-nutrition-and-physical-activity-community-based-digital-health-and-telephone-interventions-increase-healthy-eating-and-physical-activity.html

Coughlin et al. J Food Nutr 2015

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Social Media for SNAP-Ed

• One survey of SNAP Ed classes in Illinois showed 92% of SNAP-Ed eligible adults owned a smart phone.
• 57% indicated they would use online nutrition information
• In another study SNAP-Ed Parents of preschoolers used Sesame Street’s Food for Thought via Facebook group
• Enjoyed content and were retained
• Often studies are incentivized. “real life” is harder

Loehmer et. al. J Nutr Ed Behav. 2018.

Lawton et. al. Int J Envrion Res Public Health. 2022.

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Engagement on Social Media-SNAP-Ed

SNAP-Ed accounts often with low engagement even if the number of followers is high.

• US Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate.gov Instagram (IG) handle has almost 6000 followers, but their posts usually have well below 100 “likes”.
• Cooking Matters National with about 3000 followers but posts with 10-15 likes per post
• Local SNAP-Ed accounts survey: (KY, NY, LA, TX)
• ~400 to under 1000 followers
• 5 likes on average

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Challenges to Engagement

• Possible reluctance to engage with SNAP, Food Bank, government accounts
• Lack of personalization of accounts
• Lack of “real photos”, reels
• Fear of stigma?

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Our Social Media Journey

• Started SNAP4HL in March 2022
• Used primarily Canva to create posts
• Targeted healthy eating behaviors and increasing physical activity among Head Start parents/families
• Eating more fruits and vegetables
• Promoting healthy mealtime behaviors
• Eating more whole grains
• Drinking more water, fewer SB beverages
• Eating more high quality proteins

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Health Belief Model

• Person’s belief in personal threat of illness together with a person's belief in the effectiveness of the recommended health behavior or action will predict the likelihood the person will adopt the behavior.
• Concepts
• Influencing perceived benefits
• Decreasing perceived barriers
• Improving self-efficacy to make healthy choices
• Providing cues to action

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Evolution of an Account

• Name Change in 2023: headstart2healthylifestyles
• First reels: early 2023
• More real pictures
• Consistency of color scheme and font (efforts towards)
• Collaboration with other orgs
• Strategic following
• Stories and hashtags

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Then . . .

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Now . . .

Watermelon sorbet reel

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Promising Practices

• Consider avoiding use of SNAP in the account name
• Use more “real” photos—taken by your staff
• Interact with local accounts
• Consider how to connect with your audience
• Reels, food photos, real people are important
• Consider “voice”

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Questions?