Prevalence, sociodemographic risk factors, and coverage of myopia correction among adolescent students in the central region of Portugal.

BACKGROUND: Knowing the prevalence of myopia at school age is essential to implement preventive measures and appropriate interventions, ensure access to vision care, promote a healthier educational environment and improve academic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of myopia and its associated sociodemographic risk factors, as well as to estimate the coverage of myopia correction among adolescents in center of Portugal. METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated 1115 adolescents from the 5th to the 9th year of school, with an average of 12.9 years (SD = 1.5) ranging from 10.0 to 18.0 years. Optometric evaluations were carried out in a school environment and consisted of the evaluation of distance visual acuity, assessed using a logarithmic visual acuity chart (ETDRS charts 1 and 2) at 4 m, and measured by refractive error with a pediatric autorefractometer (Plusoptix), by non-cycloplegic. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent (SE ≤ -0.50 diopter (D)) and uncorrected visual acuity (UVA ≤ 95VAR). Adjusted logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate risk factors. RESULTS: We found a myopia rate of 21.5% and a high myopia rate of 1.4%. Higher school level and attendance at urban schools were associated with myopia, but no association was found with age or sex. Only 34.6% of myopic adolescents use the best optical correction and 26.4% do not use any type of optical correction. CONCLUSIONS: Data on the prevalence of refractive problems in Portugal are scarce and heterogeneous. This study, although regional, provides a valuable contribution with a clear and reproducible methodology, following international guidelines and filling gaps in the existing literature. The results show that the rate of myopia in this age group is similar to reports from other European studies. The high rate of adolescents with uncorrected or under-corrected myopia in Portugal is a problem that deserves attention.

Promoting plant-based eating in meat-centric meal contexts: a field study.

OBJECTIVE: Shifting from meat-centric to plant-rich diets may help to enable healthier and more sustainable food systems. Here we present the results of a 1-week intervention to promote plant-based eating in a meat-centric food context (i.e. canteen). DESIGN: The intervention included environmental restructuring strategies (e.g. promotional materials and menu redevelopment) and improvements to the offer of plant-based meals. The evaluation (sales data; pre-registered) spanned 3 weeks prior to the intervention (baseline), 1 week during the intervention (immediate/short-term impact) and 3 weeks after the intervention (follow-up). Opinion surveys were also used to collect data with customers during the intervention. SETTING: Canteen unit of a university campus in Portugal (Lisbon metropolitan area). PARTICIPANTS: In addition to sales data (baseline: 7965 meals; immediate/short-term: 2635 meals; follow-up: 7135 meals), we used opinion surveys to assess customers' meal appraisals during the intervention (n = 370). RESULTS: The odds of a sold meal being vegetarian were 24 % higher in the intervention week compared with the pre-intervention period [OR = 1·24, 95 % CI (1·10, 1·40)] and 9 % higher in the post-intervention period compared with the pre-intervention period [OR = 1·09, (95 % CI (1·00, 1·19)]. Survey data showed that vegetarian meals compared favourably to meat and fish alternatives in liking, sustainability and satiety. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term, theory-driven, operationally feasible intervention was effective in promoting increased plant-based meal choices in a collective meal context. Nevertheless, these changes were not entirely sustained over time. Future studies could test whether prolonged or more transformative interventions are necessary to unlock entrenched food practices more effectively in meat-centric collective meal contexts.

Insights into parents' and teachers' support for policies promoting increased plant-based eating in schools.

Global environmental and public health challenges related to current food systems call for large-scale shifts towards increasingly plant-based diets, especially in Western meat-centric societies. School meal systems can play a role in these changes due to their widespread prevalence and multi-sectoral impact. However, there is a lack of evidence about how adults involved in the school meals system perceive school-based pro-environmental food policies, which limits the ability to align those policies with the needs and expectations of the school community. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by exploring parents' (n = 104) and teachers' (n = 252) support for policies to promote increased plant-based eating in public schools in a highly meat-centric EU country (Portugal). Overall, teachers seemed to be slightly more supportive of such policies and displayed more favorable (injunctive and dynamic) norms toward plant-based eating, more negative appraisals of meals with meat (i.e., perceived healthiness, naturalness, and sustainability), and lower attachment to meat consumption. Furthermore, injunctive norms in favor of plant-based meals were linked with higher support for measures promoting plant-based meals in schools, in both samples (parents, teachers). Lower meat attachment and favorable perceived meal attributes (e.g., perceptions about plant-based and fish meals) were associated with teachers' support for measures promoting plant-based meals in schools. These findings suggest that future efforts and research with parents and teachers to enable less meat-centric and more flexitarian food practices in schools should consider social and motivation variables relevant to plant-forward transitions.

How to enable healthier and more sustainable food practices in collective meal contexts: A scoping review.

Collective meal contexts such as restaurants, cafeterias and canteens can help accelerate transitions to healthier and more sustainable diets. However, evidence from intervention studies on these contexts lacks integration. This scoping review aimed to map determinants of dietary change in collective meal contexts across multiple settings, interventions, target groups, and target behaviors. The review provided two main outcomes: (i) identifying intervention components to promote dietary change in collective meal contexts, based on the existing body of evidence; and (ii) classifying and integrating these intervention components into an overarching framework of behavior change (i.e., COM-B system). The review encompassed twenty-eight databases via two indexing services and extracted information from 232 primary sources (27,458 records selected for title and abstract screening, 574 articles selected for full-text screening). We identified a total of 653 intervention activities, which were classified into intervention components and grouped under three broad themes, namely contextual and environmental changes, social influence, and knowledge and behavioral regulation. Multi-component interventions tended to report overall positive outcomes. The review proposes several directions for future research, including: (i) moving toward more theory-based interventions in collective meal contexts; (ii) providing more detailed information about intervention settings, implementation, target groups, activities, and materials; and (iii) improving the use of open science practices in the field. Furthermore, the review offers a free, original, open-access list and synthesis of 277 intervention studies in collective meal contexts, which can help intervention planners and evaluators optimize their efforts to promote healthier and more sustainable food practices in these contexts.

Implementation determinants of physical activity interventions in primary health care settings using the TICD framework: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Translation into practice of effective physical activity interventions in primary care is difficult, due to a complex interaction of implementation determinants. We aimed to identify implementation barriers and facilitators of four primary care interventions: physical activity assessment, counselling, prescription, and referral. METHODS: A systematic review of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies published since 2016 was conducted. The "Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases" (TICD) framework was adapted to extract and synthesize barriers and facilitators. RESULTS: Sixty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Barriers (n = 56) and facilitators (n = 55) were identified across seven domains, related to characteristics of the intervention, individual factors of the implementers and receivers, organizational factors, and political and social determinants. The five most frequently reported determinants were: professionals' knowledge and skills; intervention feasibility/compatibility with primary health care routine; interventions' cost and financial incentives; tools and materials; and professionals' cognitions and attitudes. "Social, political and legal factors" domain was the least reported. Physical activity counselling, prescription, and referral were influenced by determinants belonging to all the seven domains. CONCLUSION: The implementation of physical activity interventions in primary care is influenced by a broader range of determinants. Barriers and facilitators related with health professionals, intervention characteristics, and available resources were the most frequently reported. A deep understanding of the local context, with particularly emphasis on these determinants, should be considered when preparing an intervention implementation, in order to contribute for designing tailored implementation strategies and optimize the interventions' effectiveness.

Predictors of physical activity promotion in clinical practice: a cross-sectional study among medical doctors.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is a major determinant of physical and mental health. International recommendations identify health professionals as pivotal agents to tackle physical inactivity. This study sought to characterize medical doctors' clinical practices concerning the promotion of patients' physical activity, while also exploring potential predictors of the frequency and content of these practices, including doctors' physical activity level and sedentary behaviours. METHODS: A cross-sectional study assessed physical activity promotion in clinical practice with a self-report questionnaire delivered through the national medical prescription software (naturalistic survey). Physical activity and sedentary behaviours were estimated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short form). Indicators of medical doctors' attitudes, knowledge, confidence, barriers, and previous training concerning physical activity promotion targeting their patients were also assessed. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of physical activity promotion frequency by medical doctors, including sociodemographic, attitudes and knowledge-related variables, and physical activity behaviours as independent variables. RESULTS: A total of 961 medical doctors working in the Portuguese National Health System participated (59% women, mean age 44 ± 13 years) in the study. The majority of the participants (84.6%) reported to frequently promote patients' physical activity. Five predictors of physical activity promotion frequency emerged from the multiple regression analysis, explaining 17.4% of the dependent variable (p < 0.001): working in primary healthcare settings (p = 0.037), having a medical specialty (p = 0.030), attributing a high degree of relevance to patients' physical activity promotion in healthcare settings (p < 0.001), being approached by patients to address physical activity (p < 0.001), and having higher levels of physical activity (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The sample of medical doctors approached reported a high level of engagement with physical activity promotion. Physical activity promotion frequency seems to be influenced by the clinical practice setting, medical career position and specialty, attitudes towards physical activity, and perception of patients´ interest on the topic, as well as medical doctors' own physical activity levels.

Behavioural change box? Applying the COM-B model to understand behavioural triggers that support consumption of fruits and vegetable among subscribers of a fruit and vegetable box scheme.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the key mechanisms that support healthy dietary habits promoted by fruit and vegetable (F&V) box schemes, testing relevant behaviour change triggers identified under the COM-B model in an evaluation research study of a Portuguese F&V box scheme (PROVE). DESIGN: Correlation study with a post-test-only non-equivalent group design based on survey data. The mechanisms underpinning the differences between subscribers and non-subscribers are operationalised as mediation effects. Data availability, theoretical relevance and empirical validation supported the selection and testing of four potential mediators for the effects of subscribing to the box scheme on F&V consumption. These estimations derive from the coefficients of a structural equation model combined with the product coefficient approach and Sobel test. SETTING: The study is part of a wider evaluation study on the impact of the PROVE box scheme on sustainability, health and equity. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of PROVE box subscribers (n 294) was compared with a matched subsample of non-subscribers (n 571) in a nationally representative survey. RESULTS: Subscribing to the PROVE box correlates with an increased probability of eating at least five portions of F&V, irrespective of differences in age, education and perceived economic difficulties. Diet quality perceptions, and more robustly, the strength of meal habits and household availability were identified as relevant mediators. CONCLUSIONS: The subscription to an F&V box scheme is connected with proximal context that enables the consumption of F&V by ensuring more readily available F&V and better situational conditions associated with healthier meal habits.

Modelling Longitudinal Directional Associations Between Self-regulation, Physical Activity, and Habit: Results from a Cross-lagged Panel Model.

BACKGROUND: The directionality of associations between self-regulatory variables, behavior, and automaticity is seldomly tested. In this study, we aimed to examine a volitional, self-regulatory sequence of variables proposed in the Health Action Process Approach framework (intention → action plans → action control → behavior) and its relationship with the construct of automaticity of the physical activity habit. METHODS: Longitudinal data was collected from high school students (N = 203, Mage = 15.39 (SD = 1.43), 52% women) at three measurement points. First, a confirmatory factor analysis measurement model was used to examine the study variables across measurement points. Next, a cross-lagged panel model was used to test directionality between variables. RESULTS: After adequate fit of the measurement model was confirmed, a mechanism integrating self-regulation with behavior and automaticity was examined. The hypothesized directionality between variables was verified overall by cross-lagged analysis. However, for the intention-action plan association, the inverse relationship was found: plans were associated with subsequent intentions, but intentions did not predict plans. Moreover, automaticity was not associated with subsequent physical activity behavior. CONCLUSIONS: In general, our findings supported the hypothesized longitudinal direction of the associations, confirming that self-regulation may lead to behavior performance and automaticity. Unexpected findings and implications for intervention and future research are discussed.

Parental perceptions and practices regarding sugar intake by school-aged children: A qualitative study with Portuguese parents.

Excessive sugar intake is one of the factors contributing to the alarming rates of childhood obesity and overweight in Portugal. Children's preferences and food consumption patterns are largely determined by the foods that are more familiar to them. Parents and caregivers are responsible for shaping children's eating habits since they are the ones who choose the food available in the household. The present study explores parental perceptions about sugar and sugar intake and its consequences on children's health. Moreover, we also examined the practices that parents use to regulate their children's diet, namely, to promote the consumption of desired foods (e.g., vegetables) and limit the intake of undesired food (e.g., sweets), and the perceived barriers and facilitators of sugar intake regulation. To this end, 42 interviews were conducted with parents of school-aged children (ages 6-10 years). A thematic analysis revealed that parents perceive sugar as highly negative (e.g., "evil", "poison", "addiction") and its consumption as harmful (e.g., hyperactivity; overweight). Nonetheless, the view that sugary food consumption is not necessarily problematic was also common. Indeed, most parents considered that sugar intake should be regulated but not forbidden. To control the intake of sugary foods (e.g., sodas, cookies), they reported using strategies such as restriction, explanation, or negotiation. Several barriers to sugar intake regulation were identified (e.g., birthday parties, parents' lack of knowledge), but also a few facilitators (e.g., bringing food from home to school). Our findings may inform the development of interventions or policies to promote healthier eating habits in school-age children.

A qualitative study about college students' attitudes, knowledge and perceptions regarding sugar intake.

Excessive sugar intake has been associated with multiple health conditions (e.g., higher risk for non-communicable diseases). Hence, health organizations have issued guidelines defining the maximum daily intake of free or added sugars. However, data from several countries suggests that these guidelines are rarely met, particularly by young adults. For example, almost half of Portuguese adolescents and young adults exceed the recommended sugar intake. In this work, we aim to further explore college students' attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions about sugar intake, as well as about sugar intake guidelines. A thematic analysis on data from five focus groups (N = 40) indicated that participants reported difficulty in the comprehension of added/free sugars definition and sugar intake recommendations. Overall, attitudes toward sugar were ambivalent. Sugar was simultaneously perceived as pleasurable and needed, but also as addictive and harmful. Although aware of the potential negative health outcomes associated with excessive sugar intake, most participants did not perceive being at risk due to their youth, exercise habits, or type of diet. The few concerns expressed were mostly associated with the negative impact of high sugar intake on body image (e.g., weight gain). The main barriers to reducing sugar intake identified were environmental (e.g., time restrictions, food available at the university). Still, participants could identify several individual strategies to effectively regulate sugar intake. By identifying knowledge gaps and sources of bias related to sugar consumption, our findings are useful to inform future interventions aiming to address the problem of high sugar intake among university students.

Placental spectrum features between mesenchymal dysplasia and partial hydatidiform mole coexisting with a live fetus.

We report a case of a singleton hydrops pregnancy with placental gross and microscopic features between partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) and placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) in a diploid live fetus. Pregnancy was complicated by early onset of growth restriction and pre-eclampsia. A female newborn was born at 29 weeks with no congenital malformations. Histology of the placenta revealed mixed phenotype of PMD and PHM, and genetic test results were normal.

Prenatal diagnosis of isolated frontonasal dysplasia: A case report.

We report a case of mild frontonasal dysplasia, a complex and rare malformation affecting the central portion of the face, especially the eyes, nose, and forehead, which was diagnosed at 20 weeks of gestation. The diagnosis was made by two- and four-dimensional ultrasound and confirmed at autopsy after pregnancy termination. A review of the literature is presented.

Prenatal diagnosis of fibular aplasia-tibial campomelia-oligosyndactyly syndrome: Two case reports and review of the literature.

Fibular aplasia-tibial campomelia-oligosyndactyly also known as FATCO syndrome is a rare condition characterized by fibular aplasia, shortening and anterior bowing of the lower limb at the tibia with overlying soft tissue dimpling and oligosyndactyly. Its etiology is currently unknown, but there is a male predominance. There are less than 30 cases reported in the literature but only three with prenatal diagnosis. We report two cases of FATCO syndrome with prenatal lower limb malformation diagnosis. Identification of the ultrasound findings of this condition in the prenatal stages allows an adequate parental counselling regarding the clinical features, prognosis, and potential treatments.

Clear-Cut Terms and Culture-Sensitive Characteristics of Distinctive Casual Sexual Relationships in Portuguese Emerging Adults.

Casual sexual relationships (CSR) are increasingly common but limited empirical research has addressed their terminology and distinctive characteristics. This study sought to identify the most clear-cut terms and to consider how culture-sensitive characteristics distinguish casual sexual relationships among Portuguese emerging adults (N = 262, 18-29 years old). We combined two qualitative studies - one by association and another by free recall - to ascertain the clarity of the terms, plus a quantitative study to further characterize and differentiate them. Participants were asked to match descriptions of CSRs with the respective terms by which they are known (Study 1). The same was investigated using an evocation task requesting that participants produce the terms by which the described CSRs are known (Study 2). Binary logistic regressions were performed to analyze the associations between encounters and labels chosen, taking the effect of gender and age into account. In the third study, participants rated the degree to which eight characteristics were present in the types of CSR, a simultaneous task that led to greater understanding of their descriptive and differentiating characteristics. Multivariate analysis of variance was used, with gender and age as covariates. We conclude that two types of CSR - friends with benefits and one-night stand - and, to a lesser extent, making out, are understood and associated with consensual labels, also found by free-recall. These CSRs proved to be distinct, as they are understood as more different than similar in a set of psychoemotional, behavioral, and sexual characteristics. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12119-021-09859-0.

Knowledge and acceptance of interventions aimed at reducing sugar intake in Portugal.

OBJECTIVE: Governments worldwide have been implementing interventions aimed at improving citizens' dietary habits. Examining how individuals perceive these interventions is relevant for promoting future policies in this area, as well as informing the way they are designed and implemented. In the current study, we focused on interventions aimed at reducing sugar intake in Portugal, given the current high sugar consumption patterns in the population. DESIGN: Online survey to assess which interventions are the most salient and receive greater public support. SETTING: Portugal. PARTICIPANTS: 1010 (76·7 % female, MAge 36·33, sd 13·22). RESULTS: Data from a free-recall task showed that only about one-third of participants reported knowing about these interventions, namely those related to taxation, weight restrictions in individual sugar packets and limited availability of products with high sugar content. We also found evidence of high support for the eight interventions presented (except for replacing sugar by artificial sweeteners), positive attitudes towards the need of reducing sugar intake in the Portuguese population and high agreement with the importance of reducing sugar intake across all age groups, particularly among children. Participants also indicated paying attention to the amount of sugar in their diets and a low self-reported frequency of consumption of high sugary foods and beverages. A hierarchical regression analysis suggested that these variables were significantly associated with the overall acceptance of interventions, independently of social-demographic variables (i.e., age, education and sex). CONCLUSION: By examining how people perceive and accept different interventions targeting the reduction of sugar intake, the current work aims to support policymaking in this domain.

Self-regulation in oral hygiene behaviours in adults with gingivitis: The mediating role of coping planning and action control.

AIM: This study investigates the joint role of volitional predictors of oral hygiene behaviours of flossing and brushing in adults with gingivitis, framed by the Health Action Process Approach model (HAPA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a longitudinal online survey, 201 participants aged 18-75, of which 56.7% were women, completed assessments at baseline(T1), 2 weeks(T2) and 4 months(T3). Oral hygiene behaviours(OH) (brushing and flossing) and social cognitive determinants of behaviour in the HAPA: action and maintenance self-efficacy(ASE & MSE), intention(INT), coping planning(CP) and action control(AC) were evaluated. Structural equation modelling was used to test a series of three nested models. In Model 1, action self-efficacy would determine MSE and INT, and INT would determine OH; in Model 2, INT would determine both CP and AC and the two OH behaviours; and in Model 3, CP and AC would be sequential mediators between INT and OH. RESULTS: Model 3, predicting a mediating process from intention to behaviour via coping planning and action control, showed the best fit according to the fit indices and explained more of the variance in dental hygiene. The mediating role of coping planning and action control between intention and oral hygiene behaviours was thus confirmed. Importantly, coping planning did not mediate between intention and oral hygiene behaviours, which means that oral hygiene intention influences action control through coping planning, and both sequentially mediate this influence on behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: For individuals who are not yet following the recommendations for specific oral hygiene behaviours, coping planning and action control represent psychological mechanisms by which intentions are put into practice.

An eight-month randomized controlled trial on the use of intra-oral cameras and text messages for gingivitis control among adults.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of using an intra-oral camera (IOC) during a dental hygiene consultation and mobile text messages (TM) between appointments on clinical, behavioural and psychological parameters of patients with gingivitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned into four conditions: IOC, TM, IOC + TM and control, and examined at three assessment points over eight months (N = 142). Bleeding on marginal probing (BOMP), dental hygiene (brushing and flossing) and social cognitive determinants of behaviour change (outcome expectancies, action and volitional self-efficacy, intention, planning and action control) were evaluated in an examiner-blind controlled study. Mixed-effects modelling was employed to examine changes in study outcomes. Mediations by the psychological determinants were inspected for the effect on treatment groups in clinical parameters and behaviour. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, all treatment conditions improved dental hygiene and revealed a significant decrease in BOMP from baseline to 4 months, maintained at 8 months; this was clinically relevant in the IOC + TM group, where individuals had more positive outcome expectancies as well as higher levels of action self-efficacy and intention from baseline to four months, maintained at eight months. Volitional self-efficacy was reinforced in all treatments. The psychological determinants did not prove to be the mechanisms responsible for these effects. CONCLUSIONS: A multiple-strategy benefit from using the IOC in consultation and TM between appointments improves clinical, behavioural and psychological parameters of periodontal health four months after treatment, maintained at eight months' follow-up. Insights are provided for the efficacy of the images and text messages for oral hygiene changes.

When Is Congruency Helpful? Interactive Effects of Frame, Motivational Orientation, and Perceived Message Quality on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption.

Health messages framed to be congruent with people's motivational orientation have been shown to be generally effective in promoting health behavior change, but some inconsistencies have been found. This study tested whether the perceived quality of a health message moderated the congruency effect in the domain of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. Undergraduate participants (N = 109) read a health message promoting FV intake in which the frame (gain vs. loss) was either congruent or incongruent with their approach/avoidance motivational orientation. Perceived message quality and intention to increase FV intake were assessed after message exposure, and self-reported FV intake was assessed one week later. A significant interaction between congruency and perceived message quality was found on both intention and FV intake. When messages were congruent, higher intentions and FV intake were observed when perceived message quality was high, but the reverse pattern was observed when perceived message quality was low. The findings support the potential utility of using congruently-framed messages to promote fruit and vegetable consumption, while also underscoring the necessity of using high-quality messages in order for congruency to influence health-related behaviors.

Increasing the intent to receive a pandemic influenza vaccination: Testing the impact of theory-based messages.

OBJECTIVE: Vaccination is an effective preventive measure to reduce influenza transmission, especially important in a pandemic. Despite the messages encouraging vaccination during the last pandemic, uptake remained low (37.6% in clinical risk groups). This study investigated the effect of different types of messages regarding length, content type, and framing on vaccination intention. METHOD: An online experiment was conducted in February 2015. A representative sample of 1424 people living in England read a mock newspaper article about a novel influenza pandemic before being randomised to one of four conditions: standard Department of Health (DoH) (long message) and three brief theory-based messages - an abridged version of the standard DoH and two messages additionally targeting pandemic influenza severity and vaccination benefits (framed as risk-reducing or health-enhancing, respectively). Intention to be vaccinated and potential mediators were measured. RESULTS: The shortened DoH message increased vaccination intention more than the longer one, by increasing perceived susceptibility, anticipated regret and perceived message personal relevance while lowering perceived costs, despite the longer one being rated as slightly more credible. Intention to be vaccinated was not improved by adding information on severity and benefits, and the health-enhancing message was not more effective than the risk-reducing. CONCLUSION: A briefer message resulted in greater intention to be vaccinated, whereas emphasising the severity of pandemic influenza and the benefits of vaccination did not. Future campaigns should consider using brief theoretically-based messages, targeting knowledge about influenza and precautionary measures, perceived susceptibility to pandemic influenza, and the perceived efficacy and reduced costs of vaccination.

Emphasizing the losses or the gains: Comparing situational and individual moderators of framed messages to promote fruit and vegetable intake.

Health messages are a commonly used way to promote changes in dietary habits but their efficacy could be enhanced by strategies such as the way in which the presented arguments are framed. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of framed messages (gain vs. loss) on behavioural intention and fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, comparing predictions based on prominent theoretical perspectives on message framing (function of the health behaviour and recipients' motivational orientation) and by further exploring the role of baseline intentions as a potential moderator of the framing effects. Undergraduate students (N = 180) completed the three assessment points in time. At baseline, individual moderators (motivational orientation and intentions) and fruit and vegetable intake were assessed. One week later, participants were randomly assigned to the loss or gain-framed message and indicated their intentions for FV intake the following week. A week later, FV intake over the previous week was assessed. The gain-frame was not conducive, per se, to higher intentions or behaviour. Having intention as the outcome, only baseline intentions moderated the effects of message frame. When considering FV intake as the outcome, both motivational orientation and baseline intentions moderated the effects of message frame, with the loss-frame promoting higher FV intake among individuals who were prevention-oriented and had higher baseline intentions. Findings suggest that the success of framed messages for FV intake depends upon the recipient's characteristics, such as motivational orientation, baseline intentions, and cultural background, with implications for health communication interventions.