Sarah Eckerstorfer

Introduction: In the United States, food advertisements make up roughly 11% to 29% of all advertisements with about 70% of those commercials advertising unhealthy food (Kelly et al., 2010). Adolescents, in particular Black and Hispanic youth, are at an increased risk with food marketers disproportionately targeting them with unhealthy food advertisements (Story & French, 2004; Harris et al., 2019). Recent data suggests that marketing agencies target this vulnerable population through culturally relevant themes such as setting advertisements in spaces that are frequented by people of color (Harris et al., 2019). The current pilot study provided a low cost and highly accessible digital intervention, which was adapted to Somali American culture from the original “JUS Media? Programme”, a food-focused media literacy intervention promoting healthier eating among adolescents and mothers in Jamaica (Ferguson et al., 2019, 2021). The goal of the intervention is to use culturally relevant video modules to increase nutrition understanding and media literacy in order to buffer against the effects of food advertisements.

Methods: The JUS Media? Global Classroom pilot was implemented at a Minneapolis charter school with a predominantly Somali American student population (N=135). Students were first given an initial survey to measure their understanding of nutrition, media, and their eating habits. Students were then shown the 35 minute video intervention and were then asked to take part in two class activities to solidify the concepts that were discussed in the video. Following the activities, the students took a follow up survey measuring the same variables as the first. Using data from the pilot study, this poster will examine the intention of Somali American youth to change their eating habits, guided by predictions from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB: Ajzen, 1991). To do so, we will look at the three variables that influence students’ intention to eat Somali foods as proposed by TPB: attitude toward the behavior (e.g. the students preference of Somali food), subjective norm (e.g. how often Somali food is consumed around the student), and perceived behavioral control (e.g. the availability of Somali food).

Anticipated Results: Data analysis is underway and it is predicted that students who report higher positive attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control before engaging in the intervention will report a greater increase in intention to eat healthy foods after participating in the intervention. The results will indicate how surrounding cultures shape intervention outcomes for healthier eating.