How to createHow to create BIGBIG

public health message?public health message?

Professor Stipe OreskovicProfessor Stipe Oreskovic

Andrija Stampar School of Public HealthAndrija Stampar School of Public Health

Prepared for ASPHER Conference Caltanisseta, Prepared for ASPHER Conference Caltanisseta, 12 September 2004 12 September 2004

It is aboutIt is about

understanding the theory of understanding the theory of public health communicationpublic health communication

Less than 30% understands the term DNA

… What people know about health diet, breakfast, food and biotechnology if..

How to promote public health issue: How to promote public health issue: Two ApproachesTwo Approaches

Social Marketing—

media promoting good- health practices (healthy diet)

Media Advocacy— media as a tool to affect change in health status (reducing obesity)

Food Issues Gained Public Attention Food Issues Gained Public Attention

a)a) GMO and GMO and food safety food safety

b)b) insufficient regulatory capacity insufficient regulatory capacity of of the EU and nation statesthe EU and nation states

c)c) lack of consumer choice lack of consumer choice

d)d) information information

e)e) potential effect on the environment potential effect on the environment

f)f) international trade issues international trade issues (WTO...)(WTO...)

The case of “Big Breakfast”The case of “Big Breakfast”

CriteriaCriteria for sucessfull media advocacy for sucessfull media advocacy actionaction

based on data based on data millions of hungry people – people dying millions of hungry people – people dying of obesityof obesity

specific goalspecific goal overall outcomeoverall outcome: increase public awareness, increase : increase public awareness, increase

number of people eating “healthy” breakfastnumber of people eating “healthy” breakfast

establish coalitionsestablish coalitionsNGO’s, SPH, Government, WHO, FAO....NGO’s, SPH, Government, WHO, FAO....

How to trigger public” How to trigger public” attentionattention

MilestoneMilestone (organize the biggest (organize the biggest breakfast ever)breakfast ever)

IronyIrony (rich are fat poor are thin (rich are fat poor are thin – both want to change position)– both want to change position)

SSeasonal connection easonal connection (related to (related to religious habits of eating corn religious habits of eating corn based food in october)based food in october)

How to trigger public” How to trigger public” attentionattention

CelebriCelebrities (actors, sport ties (actors, sport heroes..)heroes..)

ControversyControversy (national cuisine (national cuisine against globalization of food)against globalization of food)

InjusticeInjustice (hungry and poor (hungry and poor while food being destroyed)while food being destroyed)

What will attract journalists?What will attract journalists?

““growing”growing” visualvisual action-oriented action-oriented dinamic dinamic eventsevents

Surf on the waves of public Surf on the waves of public interest!interest!

Don’t try to create them!Don’t try to create them!

And it is about the knowedge how And it is about the knowedge how to motivate people for the benefit of to motivate people for the benefit of

public health public health

http://www.srce.hr/http://www.srce.hr/~ihitrec/agroweb/~ihitrec/agroweb/foodnutrition.htmlfoodnutrition.html

"The Largest Breakfast - Croatian "The Largest Breakfast - Croatian Breakfast",Breakfast",

On the 19th of Octber 2003, Croatia On the 19th of Octber 2003, Croatia celebrated World Food Day for the first celebrated World Food Day for the first time by holding the World’s Largest time by holding the World’s Largest Breakfast. Breakfast.

Raise awarenessRaise awareness

In order to raise awareness and mobilize In order to raise awareness and mobilize as many people as possible, the Andrija as many people as possible, the Andrija Štampar School of Public Health organized Štampar School of Public Health organized this large-scale social event this large-scale social event

WHO, FAO, The Government of the WHO, FAO, The Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Health, Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Croatian Agriculture and Forestry, and the Croatian Tourist Board among others. Tourist Board among others.

"The Largest Breakfast - Croatian "The Largest Breakfast - Croatian Breakfast",Breakfast",

The Andrija Štampar School of Public Health The Andrija Štampar School of Public Health is known for its efforts in helping to improve is known for its efforts in helping to improve the health of the people in Croatia, as well the health of the people in Croatia, as well as those in other countries around the as those in other countries around the world. world.

We used this event, dubbed "The Largest We used this event, dubbed "The Largest Breakfast – Croatian Breakfast", as a Breakfast – Croatian Breakfast", as a symbolic reminder of the need to share food symbolic reminder of the need to share food with those who do not have enough, and to with those who do not have enough, and to raise awareness that 800 million people in raise awareness that 800 million people in the world are hungry. the world are hungry.

"The Largest Breakfast - Croatian "The Largest Breakfast - Croatian Breakfast"Breakfast"

Through these efforts, contributed to Through these efforts, contributed to the improvement of knowledge and the improvement of knowledge and understanding the health and well-understanding the health and well-being of the poor around the world. being of the poor around the world.

Importance of having a balanced Importance of having a balanced dietdiet

This project also aimed to promote This project also aimed to promote the importance of having a balanced the importance of having a balanced dietdiet

Balanced breakfast is one step Balanced breakfast is one step towards the prevention malnutritiontowards the prevention malnutrition

How the media reacted?How the media reacted?

Scientific Journals RadioScientific Journals Radio

TVTV

International AgenciesInternational Agencies

NewspapersNewspapers

THE LANCET • Vol 363 • February 14, 2004 • www.thelancet.com

All in all, the breakfasters, who cametogether in city squares, schools,hospitals, and nursing homes at 235locations in 12 different cities,consumed nearly 10 000 litres ofyoghurt, 4000 kilogrammes ofporridge, and 10 000 apples.Stjepan Ores¢kovic, director of theAndrija S¢tampar School of PublicHealth in Zagreb, says the goal was topromote breakfast as the mostimportant meal of the day. “We alsowanted to show the dietary value of atraditional Croatian meal, which isnutritionally balanced and affordable.”knewIn 2001, the life expectancy was

The WebThe Web    CNN.comCNN.com      

Croats attempt mass breakfast recordCroats attempt mass breakfast record Sunday, October 19, 2003 Posted: 2:27 PM EDT (1827 GMT)Sunday, October 19, 2003 Posted: 2:27 PM EDT (1827 GMT)

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) --ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) -- Thousands of Croats took Thousands of Croats took part Sunday in a mass, nationwide breakfast in part Sunday in a mass, nationwide breakfast in hopes of breaking a Guinness world record held by hopes of breaking a Guinness world record held by Taiwan.Taiwan.

Croatia, an agricultural and tourist country of 4.5 million Croatia, an agricultural and tourist country of 4.5 million people, also aimed to promote healthy and local foods and people, also aimed to promote healthy and local foods and to stress the importance of breakfast for a healthy lifestyle, to stress the importance of breakfast for a healthy lifestyle, said Stipe Oreskovic, the head of the state-run institution said Stipe Oreskovic, the head of the state-run institution for promotion of health which organized the event. for promotion of health which organized the event.

Private sponsors and local governments paid for the event, Private sponsors and local governments paid for the event, estimated to cost up to 4 million kuna ($615,000.) estimated to cost up to 4 million kuna ($615,000.)

Croatia claims new big breakfast recordCroatia claims new big breakfast record...... The " The "BiggestBiggest BreakfastBreakfast--CroatianCroatian BreakfastBreakfast" " lasted an hour on Sunday morning andlasted an hour on Sunday morning andparticipants had to consume corn mush, a yoghurt participants had to consume corn mush, a yoghurt and an apple. and an apple. ...... in.news.yahoo.com/031020/137/28n9k.html - 24k - in.news.yahoo.com/031020/137/28n9k.html - 24k - Slične Stranice -Slične Stranice -

FijetEspañaFijetEspaña...... del Ministro de Salud de Croacia en torno al del Ministro de Salud de Croacia en torno al imaginativo proyecto de promoción turísticaimaginativo proyecto de promoción turística" The " The biggestbiggest breakfastbreakfast--CroatianCroatian breakfastbreakfast", ", que pretende alcanzar que pretende alcanzar ...... fijetespana.com/congresocroacia.html - 36k -fijetespana.com/congresocroacia.html - 36k -

The event's organisers told Croatian television The event's organisers told Croatian television that a total of 42,120 people took part at more that a total of 42,120 people took part at more than 200 locations across the country, which than 200 locations across the country, which would almost have doubled the existing world would almost have doubled the existing world record. record.

Breakfast was served at exactly nine o'clock in Breakfast was served at exactly nine o'clock in the morning and participants had to eat the the morning and participants had to eat the whole meal in order to be counted in the total. whole meal in order to be counted in the total.

The existing record was set in Taiwan on 13 The existing record was set in Taiwan on 13 October 2001, when 23,291 people tucked into October 2001, when 23,291 people tucked into 1,920 kilograms of bread and 5,670 litres of milk.1,920 kilograms of bread and 5,670 litres of milk.

Sunday's Croatian attempt was the idea of the Sunday's Croatian attempt was the idea of the Andrija Stampar Public Health School in Zagreb, Andrija Stampar Public Health School in Zagreb, to mark World Food Day. to mark World Food Day.

Thousands of Croats in Mass Thousands of Croats in Mass BreakfastBreakfast

[Associated Press][Associated Press]Thousands of Croats took part Thousands of Croats took part Sunday in a mass, nationwide Sunday in a mass, nationwide breakfast in hopes of breaking a breakfast in hopes of breaking a Guinness world record held by Guinness world record held by Taiwan. Taiwan.

www.deutschewelle.de/english/www.deutschewelle.de/english/

0%2C3367%2C4789_W_1003885%2C00.html0%2C3367%2C4789_W_1003885%2C00.html Croatia claims new big breakfast recordCroatia claims new big breakfast record

   In honor of World Food Day, some 38,000 Croatians In honor of World Food Day, some 38,000 Croatians

ate corn mush, yoghurt and an apple on Sunday. The ate corn mush, yoghurt and an apple on Sunday. The event was also an attempt to enter the record books for event was also an attempt to enter the record books for the most number people sitting down to breakfast at the most number people sitting down to breakfast at any one time. Taiwan set the current breakfast record any one time. Taiwan set the current breakfast record in the Guinness Book of World Records two years ago in the Guinness Book of World Records two years ago when over 23,000 people consumed almost 6,000 liters when over 23,000 people consumed almost 6,000 liters of milk and 2,000 kilograms of bread.(Organisers said of milk and 2,000 kilograms of bread.(Organisers said they would now send all necessary documentation and they would now send all necessary documentation and witness reports to the Guinness Book of Records witness reports to the Guinness Book of Records headquarters in London for confirmation of the results.) headquarters in London for confirmation of the results.)

                                            

                                            

          

              

          

              

  

  

Public ResponsePublic Response

The ResultsThe Results

Great participation (54.155 person in Great participation (54.155 person in atat city squares, schools, hospitals, and nursing homes at 235 locations in 12 different cities

Great public attention arround the globe (hundreds of reports on internet, printed and electronic media)

Change in behavioral attitudes

The resultsThe results

89 % of population knows about the 89 % of population knows about the breakfastbreakfast

79 % considers it positive action79 % considers it positive action

37 % understands it as promotion of 37 % understands it as promotion of breakfast as healthy behaviorbreakfast as healthy behavior

The resultsThe results

16 % of population understands the 16 % of population understands the action as a promotion of healthy foodaction as a promotion of healthy food

4 % of population thought that it was 4 % of population thought that it was organized to feed hungyorganized to feed hungy

Only! 2% tought that the intention Only! 2% tought that the intention was to set the new world recordwas to set the new world record