What does humans motivate to observe a healthy diet?

Part 2: Principles of marketing applied to dietary counselling, and limits to counselling

Volker Pudel, Göttingen

Fashion and trends show that human behaviour may be changed. This fact is used by commercial marketing. The use of marketing methods for health promotion is called “social marketing”.

It aims at “selling” healthy lifestyle and healthy nutrition in a similar way a product is sold, trying to make these goals palatable to people by way of a need-orientated presentation. “Pfundskur” and “Powerkids”, for example, are health-promotion actions including social marketing. The effect of actions of this kind is limited, however, as western lifestyles promote overweight. Thus a change in lifestyle shifts into focus. It seems more promising than the presently prevailing concentration on behavioural prevention and therapy. In view of the beau ideal, obese persons are under great socical pressure anyway.

The problem of an overweight epidemic can hence be solved less by sanctions for fat persons than by preventive measures for children. Necessary are regulations for healthy food supply obligatory upon catering institutions, optimized educative measures in the fields of daily diet and physical activities, as well as larger areas around residential districts reserved for children to be physically active and do sports.

Keywords: distribution, health prevention, marketing mix, nutritional information, social marketing, Pfundskur, price, product, public relations

Sie finden den Artikel in deutscher Sprache in Ernährungs Umschau 07/07 ab Seite 373.