Are intentions to change, policy awareness, or health knowledge related to changes in dietary intake following a sugar-sweetened beverage tax in South Africa? A before-and-after study.

Background: In April 2018, South Africa implemented the Health Promotion Levy (HPL), one of the first sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes to be based on each gram of sugar (beyond 4 g/100mL). The objectives of this study were to examine whether the psychological constructs tax awareness, SSB knowledge, SSB risk perception, and intentions to reduce SSB intake were associated with taxed beverage intake, whether they changed from pre- to post-tax, and whether they modified the effect of the HPL.

Methods: We collected single day 24-hour dietary recalls surveyed from repeat cross-sectional surveys of adults aged 18-39 years in Langa, South Africa.

Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis.

Background: South Africa was the first sub-Saharan African country to implement a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax called the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) in April 2018. Given news media can increase public awareness and sway opinions, this study analyzed how the media represented the HPL, including expressions of support or challenge, topics associated with the levy, and stakeholder views of the HPL.

Methods: We performed a quantitative content analysis of online South African news articles related to the HPL published between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019.

Kindness Media Rapidly Inspires Viewers and Increases Happiness, Calm, Gratitude, and Generosity in a Healthcare Setting.

: Stress is a ubiquitous aspect of modern life that affects both mental and physical health. Clinical care settings can be particularly stressful for both patients and providers. Kindness and compassion are buffers for the negative effects of stress, likely through strengthening positive interpersonal connection.

Examining Chile's unique food marketing policy: TV advertising and dietary intake in preschool children, a pre- and post- policy study.

Background: The Chilean government implemented the first phase of a comprehensive marketing policy in 2016, restricting child-directed marketing of products high in energy, total sugars, sodium or saturated fat (hereafter "high-in").

Objectives: To examine the role that high-in TV food advertising had in the effect of the policy on consumption of high-in products between 2016 and 2017.

Methods: Dietary data were obtained from 24-hour diet recall measured in 2016 (n = 940) and 2017 (n = 853), pre- and post-policy, from a cohort of 4 to 6 years children.

Randomized trial of a broad preventive intervention for Mexican American adolescents.

Objective: This randomized trial of a family-focused preventive intervention for Mexican American (MA) adolescents evaluated intervention effects on adolescent substance use, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and school discipline and grade records in 8th grade, 1 year after completion of the intervention. The study also examined hypothesized mediators and moderators of intervention effects.

Method: Stratified by language of program delivery (English vs.

How parents hear about human papillomavirus vaccine: implications for uptake.

Purpose: To examine correlates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine awareness and information sources in a state requiring schools to inform parents about HPV vaccine.

Methods: Telephone survey of a North Carolina population-based sample of 696 parents of females aged 10-17 years about HPV vaccine awareness and information sources (daughters' schools, healthcare provider, drug company advertisements, news stories) was conducted.

Results: Overall, 91% of parents had heard of HPV vaccine.

Subjective knowledge and fear appeal effectiveness: implications for message design.

This research investigates the role of perceived health knowledge on the effectiveness of fear-based persuasive appeals. Undergraduates (N = 263) read a strong fear, weak fear, or efficacy-only message encouraging breast or testicular self-examination. As expected, results indicated that men high in subjective knowledge were less reactant and more persuaded by the efficacy-only message whereas those low in subjective knowledge did not evidence this pattern.