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"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."
We’ve all heard the sayings, but it turns out even if you're not paying attention, these reminders do work.
UBC researchers have demonstrated that simple, cost-effective email messages can help improve the health habits of Canadians.
Mary Jung, an assistant professor of health and exercise sciences at UBC's Okanagan campus, recently completed a nationwide study with more than 730 Canadians who were not meeting Canada’s recommended dietary intake for calcium.
Participants in the study received emails four days in a row with evidence-based daily tips and strategies on how to increase their calcium intake.
“Just four targeted messages made a remarkable difference in the consumption of calcium-rich foods,” said Jung.
“The majority of our participants increased their calcium intake by one serving a day, which is pretty good results.”
Despite the known health benefits of getting enough calcium, such as bone health, less than 40 per cent of Canadians between the ages of 30 and 50 consume the right amount.
Jung says her four emails, arriving in email boxes early each morning, resulted in an increase of more than 200 milligrams of calcium each day in participants—which was maintained four weeks after the emails were sent out.
“This study demonstrates that providing salient information, along with relevant how-to strategies, is an effective way to promote health initiatives in Canadian adults,” said Jung.
“These findings hold promise for future public health campaigns on a shoestring budget. By making messages meaningful to the targeted audience, cost-efficient messages can change health behaviours.”
Jung’s research was recently published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
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