Competing with big business: a randomised experiment testing the effects of messages to promote alcohol and sugary drink control policy

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based policies encouraging healthy behaviours are often strongly opposed by well-funded industry groups. As public support is crucial for policy change, public health advocates need to be equipped with strategies to offset the impact of anti-policy messages. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of theory-based public health advocacy messages in generating public support for sugary drink/alcohol policies (increased taxes; sport sponsorship bans) and improving resistance to subsequent anti-policy messages typical of the sugary drink/alcohol industry. METHODS: We conducted a two-wave randomised online experiment assigning Australian adults to one of four..