Resumen de Social marketing campaigns aimed at preventing and controlling obesity: a review and recommendations

Magdalena Cismaru, Anne M. Lavack

• We examined the role of social marketing programs in preventing and controlling obesity, by identifying and gathering anti-obesity communication materials and program materials from a variety of English-language websites around the world. A qualitative analysis of these materials revealed many anti-obesity programs and campaigns running in the USA and Canada, and a few in Australia and the UK. Our review provides a description of the key themes and messages being used in anti-obesity campaigns, including food guides and physical activity guidelines, and discusses how the campaigns agree with the Protection Motivation Theory. In addition, the review compares sources of funding, campaign components, and target population. Recommendations for practitioners are provided.